Fear the Golden Reaper
by KATTALNUVA
Summary: Many pirates have failed to kill Monkey D. Luffy, as have the Marines, so now the World Nobles are sending in their personal assassin, the man they call when no one else can get the job done, The Golden Reaper.
1. Kicking the Hornet's Nest

Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, was sitting on the deck of his ship, the Thousand Sunny, with his fishing line over the side. He was accompanied by his friends Usopp and Chopper. Zoro was up in the crow's nest training as usual, Nami was off either drawing charts or counting money, Sanji was busy in the kitchen, Robin had her nose stuck in a book, Franky was down in his workshop, and Brook was playing the usual soothing songs on his violin. Moments of peace like this were very rare in the New World; with bizarre weather conditions popping in and out without a moment's notice, other pirates, and the marines hounding them across the seas. Luffy knew this was just a short break before their next adventure, and he hoped it could come soon, because so far he hadn't caught a thing all day.

Being at sea with his friends on days like this was almost enough to make Luffy forget about the battle at Marineford two years ago. Though he'd never admit it to his crew, there were nights when all he could think about was that dark hour when he held his dying brother in his arms. He promised himself he would never let what had happened to Ace happen to any of his friends. That is why he spent two years getting stronger, and now he was so powerful that he could take out 50,000 men without even lifting a finger, but he knew better than to get cocky. The New World was home to the most feared pirates in the world, all of whom were looking for the legendary treasure of One Piece, and the bravest and most powerful marines were here in the New World to combat them. But on the outside Luffy was still as ambitious and confident as ever. After all, he wasn't going to become King of the Pirates just by sitting on his hands on some island.

"Everyone on deck!" bellowed Zoro "Ship off the starboard bow!"

All the other members of the crew were quickly on the deck of the Sunny.

"What is it?" asked Chopper "Marines, other pirates, what?!"

Nami looked through the telescope. It didn't look like a Navy ship, and it wasn't sailing with a pirate flag. But she did notice some distinct markings on it.

"It's a slave ship, and from the looks of things their cargo is for the Celestial Dragons."

Even though it was prohibited over two hundred years ago by the World Government, slavery still survived in some places in the world. Two years ago at Sabaody Archipelago, the Straw Hats learned this too well. The Celestial Dragons, the descendants of those that founded the world government, kept famous pirates as pets, and other people were made to be servants and trophies.

"What are your orders Captain?" asked Robin.

Luffy despised the Celestial Dragons, because of what they had done to his friends. At Sabaody Archipelago he had actually done the unthinkable and punched one, something which was punishable by a very public and painful death, but Luffy didn't care, all he cared about was his friends. With this slave ship in the distance he thought of Keimi, and of Hancock and her sisters.

"Run out the cannons and prepare to board, we're sacking the ship."

"Are you nuts?!" exclaimed Usopp "You heard Nami, those slavers are working for the Celestial Dragons! Everyone knows that defying them means death!"

"In case you've forgotten, we've already defied the Celestial Dragons and the World Government in the past." said Zoro.

"Then let's not put more fuel on the fire!"

"Well… I for one… agree with Luffy."

"Nami, you too?!"

"Anyone who works for the Celestial Dragons is bound to have some money onboard their ship. Something we desperately need."

"You're kidding me, what happened to all the money that we had."

"Unfortunately, some of us pissed it away."

"We'll sack the ship then!" exclaimed Sanji, ever eager to please Nami.

"Any ship sailing in the New World, especially one with cargo for the Celestial Dragons, is probably heavily armed." said Nami.

"We'll be okay." said Franky "Don't forget, the Sunny is SUPER! I'd like to see those racial bastards try and even scratch us."

"Let's just make sure this is done quick and clean."

"Don't worry, they won't even know what hit them."

"Usopp, Chopper, prepare to fire."

"Okay… here we go… I just know we're gonna regret this."

"Fire!"

After taking a blast from the Sunny's cannons, Franky sent the Sunny flying with a confined Coup De Burst which landed it right in front of their target.

"Attack!"

Between Luffy, Zorro, and Sanji alone, the enemy crew quickly fell to pieces.

"Whatever they're paying you guys, it's too much." said Sanji standing atop the overweight goon he had bested.

"The same could be said for your bounty." said Zoro "Making a reputation off easy wins."

"You're one to talk Moss Head! If it wasn't for those oversized pocket knives you couldn't cut your way out of a paper bag."

"You wanna go ashtray?! Anytime any place!"

"Do you maggots know who you're stealing from?! You're all seven kinds of dead meat!" bellowed one of the captive crew members.

"I think they'd have a very hard time turning me into any kind of meat." said Brook "Particularly because I'm nothing but bones… YOHOHOHOHO! In any case I'm afraid you're bosses will have to get in line."

"There must be something worthwhile on this ship, search every cabin down to the bilges." said Nami.

"And find out where the food is!" exclaimed Luffy "I'm hungry!"

The Straw Hats all split up to search the ship.

"We're sacking a ship that works for the Celestial Dragons, and all he can think about is food?" asked Nami "And this guy plans on becoming the Pirate King?"

"Where would he be without us?" said Robin laughing.

"Assuming his story is true; I imagine he'd still be adrift at sea in a barrel."

Nami and Robin's search quickly led them to the cabin where the would be slaves were being kept.

"Everyone stay calm!" said Nami "We're taking over the ship!"

The would be slaves consisted mainly of able bodied men and young women.

"We should start looking for the keys."

But Robin's thought were immediately distracted by one of the slaves, who was wearing a very large pendant around her neck.

"Where did you get that?"

**(To be continued)**

**The Straw Hats have kicked the hornet's nest. Upon hearing that one of their ships have been sacked, the Celestial Dragons decided that they've had enough, and dispatch their personal assassin, someone who was able to fight to a standstill with the three admirals.**

**Next time in Chapter 2: Enter the Reaper**


	2. Enter the Reaper

"HE DID WHAT? WHAT?!"

The Celestial Dragons had just been informed that one of their slave ships had been raided by none other than Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates. Two years ago Monkey D. Luffy had done the unthinkable and punched Saint Charloss. No one had ever defied the World Nobles and lived, but for some reason Monkey D. Luffy was alive and well two years after his crime had been committed. So far not even a 400,000,000 belli bounty had been enough to bring him to justice, and now he had sacked one of their slave ships. Though no one else had yet to defy the World Nobles, they could tell that things were being whispered in certain circles.

"Would anyone care to tell me why this filthy flea-bitten lowlife piece of scum isn't dead?!"

"Obviously he's better than anyone we have at our disposal."

"That's unacceptable!"

"I know, I'm just telling you the facts."

"Send the Warlords, send the Admirals, send someone! I don't care who, just send someone to kill that bastard!"

"Monkey D. Luffy has defeated two Warlords in the past, and he has proven that he and his crew can slip through even the Admirals' fingers, they even survived a Buster Call, and their captain survived the Battle at Marineford. Who's to say they won't do it again?"

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

The death of White Beard at Marineford was supposed to bring an end to the Great Pirate Era, but over the past two years things had only gotten worse. Every mother's son who called himself a pirate and his sister was attacking islands and heading to the Grand Line in search of Gold Roger's treasure. The Navy's forces were stretched thin across the seas trying to contain it all.

"There is one person…"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Why not, he's proven in the past that he can get the job done."

"Because I can't stand him! And have you forgotten how much he charged us last time?!"

"So what, we spend more on slaves when good ones come around."

"Monkey D. Luffy has already proven that he can handle Warlords, and escape even the Admirals. He might be the only person that can do this."

There was a long silence.

"Very well… contact the Reaper."

Suddenly the lights in the room all went dead.

"What in the name of, what's going on."

Before any more of the World Nobles could speak a deep voice resonated through the room.

"Speak of the devil… and he's sure to appear."

When the lights came back on, the one the World Nobles called the Golden Reaper was standing in the center of the room. No one knew who he really was; he got his name from the fact that he was the World Nobles' personal assassin, the person they called when no one else could get the job done, and from the golden mask that he wore upon his face. He dressed head to toe in black and golden body armor and a matching cape. At his waist was his primary weapon, an infamous sword that had been stained with the blood of many of the World Nobles' enemies. A few years ago the World Nobles made him fight against the three Admirals because they wanted to see who would win; they even made wagers amongst themselves on what they thought the outcome would be. They were disappointed when the fight was declared a stalemate when the three Admirals weren't even able to touch him.

"That was fast."

"What are you doing here?! How did you get past security?!"

"I'm around here all the time. To answer your second question, your security sucks balls. You're just lucky I'm not here to kill you, as if anyone could afford my price."

"Do you realize who you're talking to?!"

The Reaper always made fun of his employers, because he was the only person who could get away with it.

"I'm talking to the wealthiest and most influential people in the world, and you're talking to the one person in the world that could kill any one of you and get away with it if anyone ever had an utterly insane amount of money that they were willing to spend."

"I won't tolerate this any longer!"

One of the World Nobles pulled his gun on the Reaper, but he didn't even flinch.

"You pay me to hunt down and kill some of the most feared and bloodthirsty individuals in the world, what makes you think I'm scared of a spoiled chubby little man with no real combat skills and a gun?"

"THAT'S IT!"

The Noble shot at the Reaper until his gun was empty; he didn't hit anything but the wall.

"Now if we're done playing games, I understand you have a job for me."

"We want you to kill Monkey D. Luffy." said one of the Nobles handing him the wanted poster.

"Ah… The boy from the East Blue who ate the Gum-Gum fruit. Captain of the Straw Hat pirates, known for defeating former Warlords Crocodile and Gekko Moriah, sacking Enies Lobby, punching Saint Charloss during the incident at Sabaody Archipelago, causing a riot at Impel Down, also known for his part in the Battle at Marineford before disappearing for two years. And now they're at it again."

The navy had done its best to keep some of the Straw Hat's activities a secret from the public, but apparently the Reaper knew about both Crocodile and Moriah.

"We'll pay you the full bounty plus an extra ten percent, get the job done within a month and we'll make it twenty five."

"Make it fifty, plus five new slave girls of my choice."

"What?!"

"No one has dared to cross any of you since Fisher Tiger. And this boy is the son of Monkey D. Dragon. That's not something to be taken lightly."

"Fifty percent will be just fine, if you can get the job done within the month." said one of the Nobles before the others could protest.

"And the slave girls?"

"You can have any five you want. But we want this wretch dead."

"I want this kid beaten, impaled, stabbed, hung by his own entrails! I want his fingers and toes chopped of and marinated in his own fluids! I want to use his limbs as maracas! I want his teeth pulled out and made into jewelry! I want his heart cut out and reproductive organs torn off, roasted on an open fire, and stuffed down his throat! And I want it right now!"

"Could you repeat that? I'm not sure I got all of it." said the Reaper half laughing.

"Just bring us Straw Hat Luffy's head within the month and you'll get your money and girls."

"Understood, and how much for the rest of him?"

"What?"

"That's was a joke."

"Just make sure his death is public and painful. We want to send a clear message to other pirates and scum as to what happens when they mess with us."

"Yes, there has been talk throughout the underworld that you've all lost your balls since the incident two years ago. Very well, just be sure to pay up when I get back."

The lights went out again, when they came back on the Reaper was gone.

"I cannot tell you how much I hate that guy!"

**To be continued**

**One of the World Nobles' would be slaves finds herself shanghaied aboard the Thousand Sunny when it's discovered that she has in her possession a key to finding an ancient treasure that has been lost since before Gol D. Roger conquered the Grand Line.**

**Next time in Chapter 3: The Tale of Black Hook Bart**

**Illustration of the Golden Reaper on deviantart**


	3. The Tale of Black Hook Bart

One of the would be slaves onboard the ship was a beautiful young woman with long brown hair. She was wearing a golden pendant with a huge blue jewel in the center. There were strange markings all around it. It would have looked like gibberish to anyone else, but not to Robin.

"It was gift from my fiancé."

"What's a fiancé?" asked Luffy.

"Oh for crying out loud…"

"Luffy, a fiancé the man a woman plans on marrying… but that means… she's already spoken for!" said Sanji.

"Oh!"

"Excuse me miss…"

"Safaia."

"Safaia… such a lovely name." said Brook "If you don't mind… would you let me see your panties?"

Nami kicked Brook in the back of the head.

"They were about to make her a slave and you ask her something like that?!"

"Ow! I'm probably bleeding internally! Even though being nothing but bones I shouldn't be able to bleed. YOHOHOHOHO!"

"You don't know what this is, do you?" asked Robin.

"Is it a… million belli necklace?" asked Nami.

"I'm pretty sure this once belonged to the infamous Black Hook Bart."

"THE BLACK HOOK BART?!"

"He has no idea what the word fiancé means but he knows about certain infamous pirates… Why am I not surprised?"

Luffy had heard this story before when he was just a boy. Sometime before Gol D. Roger conquered the Grand Line, Black Hook Bart was considered by many to be the deadliest pirate on the sea. However Luffy didn't care for how the infamous pirate treated his crew, or how they treated each other. He was told any one of them would have killed his mate for a bag of belli. Black Hook Bart hid all his treasure on an island called Dead Man's Rock, but didn't share its exact location with anyone else. When he finally died at the hands of a woman he had taken captive, his treasure was lost. Many pirates had tried to find it over the years, but none prevailed.

"So what's so special about this necklace?" asked Zoro.

"Black Hook Bart didn't get his reputation just from sitting on his ship while his crew did all the dirty work. He was a very fierce fighter and killed many devil fruit users in his time. He always considered this pendant to be his lucky charm. No one quite knows why."

"So you're saying the pendant is worth something."

"Don't even thing about it, it's mine!" said Safaia.

"Yeah! The pendant belongs to her!" said Sanji.

"Even better, I think it provides a clue to the treasure's location. See the markings?"

"Looks like chicken scratch to me." said Usopp.

"It would to most people; it's written in a dialect that no longer exists. I imagine that only a handful of people can read it. Luckily I'm one of them."

"That's our SUPER archaeologist for you." said Franky.

"What does it say?" asked Luffy getting excited.

"Dead men tell no tales, but they are not blind. On the island of the dead, seek the black skull and its third eye will reveal the next clue."

"How much treasure are we talking here?" asked Nami.

"Black Hook Bart was considered by many to be not only the fiercest, but the richest pirate of his time."

"That's all I needed to hear."

"What are we waiting for?" asked Luffy "Let's set sail for Dead Man's Rock!"

"Only one problem… We don't know how to get to Dead Man's Rock."

"Dead Man's Rock isn't too far from my home. You can drop me off on the way there." said Safaia.

"I'm afraid not. If you insist on keeping that pendant, then you're going to have to come with us."

"Why?"

"Black Hook Bart was one of the greediest pirates that ever lived, if finding his treasure was easy I'm sure someone would have found it already. He considered this pendant to be his lucky charm, odds are we're going to need it."

"Tell you what, if you promise to help us find the treasure, we'll take you home when we're done." said Luffy.

"And why should I trust a bunch of pirates?"

"I believe we're the pirates that just saved you from a lifetime of slavery." said Zoro.

"Besides, I'm not just a pirate." said Luffy "I'm the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates! Do we have a deal?"

Safaia could see that she didn't have much choice here. None of the other would be slaves seemed eager to pick a fight with the Straw Hats on her behalf.

"I guess so."

"Excellent! Safaia, welcome aboard the Thousand Sunny! Onward to adventure!"

"Luffy, we still don't have a way to get there. The log pose doesn't automatically point to wherever we want to go."

"Do you know how we can get there?"

"Wait, I still have that vivre card he gave me!" said Safaia.

"What vivre card?"

"My fiancé gave me a vivre card so I'd always be able to find him. If we follow it should take us right to my home, which is spitting distance from Dead Man's Rock."

Safaia pulled out her vivre card and was relieved to see that it was still in one piece.

"Oh thank the heavens… When those slavers abducted me he tried to stop them and got shot… I've been so worried."

"Nami, we have our heading. Franky, is the Sunny ready to go?"

"Absolutely. Like I said, not even a scratch."

"Then let's go! And while we wait … SANJI! FOOD!"

The other slaves took off in the slaver's ship for their own islands, while the Sunny immediately set sail for Dead Man's Rock. Chopper insisted on taking a look at Safaia.

"Slave ships can be very unsanitary, have you suffered a fever or experienced any flu like symptoms?"

"No. Forgive me if I sound rude, but since when do animals give a diagnosis, or talk?"

"He's Chopper, he ate a devil fruit once. He our doctor." said Nami "He's very good at what he does. He's saved our Captain's life on several occasions."

"Oh… so he's cute and smart, sounds like a winning combination."

"Shut up! You big dummy, you saying I'm cute doesn't make me the least bit happy!"

"He's very shy."

Chopper saw that Safaia's wrists were a little bruised from being chained to the wall for who knows how long. As he bandaged them up Nami pointed everyone else.

"I'm Nami, I'm the navigator. You already know Robin. Franky is our shipwright. Zoro is one of our best fighters, but does little else to contribute around here. Sanji is our cook, ignore him and your life will be a lot easier. Usopp is our best marksman, Brook is our musician…"

"I've been meaning to ask you, is he like a zombie or something?"

"He's another devil fruit user. And believe it or not Luffy is our Captain."

"Doesn't he have a bounty of 400,000,000 belli?"

"Yes he does."

"And, what am I supposed to do if I'm found on the same ship as a notorious pirate?"

"The navy has been trying to catch us for a long time, and we haven't seen a single ship in days. But if the worst should happen, I'm sure you can just tell them we took you prisoner."

"Technically you are."

"Trust me, Luffy may not be the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but he's a man of his word. As soon as we have our treasure we'll have you home faster than you can say silver and gold."

Luffy spent the next several hours eating all the while growing more and more eager to reach Dead Man's Rock. Little did he know that word was quickly traveling across the sea that the World Nobles had hired their personal assassin, and that he was on his way to kill him.

**To Be Continued**

**Welcome aboard Charon's Revenge, the Reaper's personal warship. On this ship the Reaper's word is law, and if you break that law the penalty is huge, whether you're a member of the crew or one of the Reaper's personal slave girls.**

**Next time in Chapter 4: A Slave to the Reaper**

**Safaia Illustration now on deviantart**


	4. A Slave to the Reaper

When on missions the Reaper always traveled in his personal warship, Charon's Revenge. It was faster, better armed, and all around a lot more deadly than the average Marine ship. Many pirate ships had fallen prey to its weapons. The crew was provided by the best the Navy could spare, but if they couldn't meet the Reaper's strict standards there was hell to pay. As long as they did their jobs and didn't ask questions, or wander off into any part of the ship that was off limits they usually lived to see another day. The Reaper also kept his personal collection of slave girls onboard when he was on missions. Whenever a woman entered the Reaper's court they were given a very strict warning.

"Refusing my orders, that's a hazing… Trying to escape, that's a hazing… Failure to please me too many times in a row, that's a hazing… Trying to kill me, you better believe that's a hazing."

A hazing always consisted of the slaves in question being stripped naked in front of the others and being subjected to some form of torture. Unfortunately some of the Reaper's slaves didn't always get the message. Last night the latest addition to the court, a girl with long red dreadlocks naked Crystal, tried to kill her master with a stolen dinner knife, a weapon that wouldn't have even pierced the Reaper's armor had it found its target. Now she had been stripped, flogged, and was having hot oil poured on her body. Underneath the ball gag poor Crystal was screaming at the top of her lungs, and tears were running down her face.

"Okay, as an expert on pain I think she's had enough." said the Reaper "Lilly, be in my quarters in fifteen minutes. The rest of you, take care of your sister."

Lilly was a beautiful young woman with long pink hair. She was the Reaper's very first slave girl and his personal favorite. Seven years ago when she was eighteen some slavers kidnapped her in the middle of the night, forcibly taken from her home, her friends, and her family. A few days later she found herself being auctioned off at Sabaody Archipelago, where she was bought by her master. As she watched the other slaves carry Crystal out she was reminded of her first hazing. She had refused to even disrobe for her master. The first thing he did was tear the clothes from her body, and then he beat her with a hot metal pole. It ended with her spending ten minutes in a tank of cold water filled with leeches. It wouldn't be the last time she was hazed either. She had refused her master again, tried to escape twice, and had tried to kill her master once. After that she just couldn't take it anymore. She could barely watch what he did to the others, let alone fathom the thought of it happening to her again.

As she made her way to her personal dressing room, being the only slave with one, she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

"What am I doing here?"

Lilly used to have friends, a family, hopes, and dreams. Now she didn't even know if anyone was still alive.

"Why am I the slave of this sick killer for hire?"

The Reaper had never given up a slave, it was becoming clearer every day that he was never going to let any of them leave. Lilly and the other slaves had hoped and prayed over the years that the World Nobles would send their master on a mission where he wouldn't survive, but so far no pirate or enemy of the World Nobles had been enough.

"How does he do it? Why won't this bastard die?"

Lilly had to wipe the tears from her eyes; if she didn't appease her master then she would be the next one to get hazed.

"Maybe one of the four Pirate Emperors can do it, but so far the World Nobles seem okay just letting them war it out over a treaure that may or may not exist. Maybe then they'll send him to take on the winner."

Lilly was dressed in nothing but a metal brassiere and panty, and a blue cape. She and the other slaves were forced to wear revealing outfits like this all the time. She had to force herself to smile; seven years of abuse had taught her all too well what would happen if she didn't appease him."

"You… wanted to see me master?"

The Reaper was chopping things up with his sword as usual. To him this was as natural as breathing.

"Ah, my dear sweet Lilly… I must say, you certainly look lovely this evening. I'd like you to dance for me."

He may have just wanted her to dance, but Lilly knew from experience that was seldom all that the Reaper wanted, unless Crystal's hazing had taken all his energy out of him. She danced until he said he had enough.

"Come sit with me."

"Yes master."

Lilly sat down next to her master, she knew full well what was coming, and she knew what resisting would mean. His icy finger traced down her back.

"Is it your shampoo or your perfume that I'm smelling?"

"I'm not sure master…"

"It smells like… chocolate."

Lilly waited for the heavy brassiere on her chest to fall, but it didn't. When she opened her eyes her master was holding a chocolate bar in front of her.

"You've set a new record going the longest without a hazing, I think you deserve this, and the rest of the week off."

The Reaper made sure that all his slaves were well fed. A slave that was too skinny was as unsightly as a fat one. But Lilly couldn't remember the last time she had tasted chocolate.

"It's a shame poor Crystal couldn't follow your example."

"I… I learn from my mistakes master."

"Good girl."

A part of Lilly wondered if the chocolate was poisoned, but she hadn't done anything to upset the Reaper since her last hazing several years ago, besides he had never actually killed any of his slaves in the past. A few years ago one of the others tried to commit suicide, but somehow the Reaper stopped her just in time, and her hazing was one of the most violent Lilly had ever witnessed.

"I wonder what she had planned to do if she had managed to kill me. We're on a ship full of marines in service to the World Nobles, and to top it all off we're in the middle of the ocean in the New World. She wouldn't have been able to kill me anyway, not with my abilities."

"You never really told me master… what are your abilities? That's always been pretty vague."

"My dear Lilly… A girl like you should be enjoying your reward, not worrying about things that don't concern you. I suggest you hurry back to your chamber before I change my mind."

Lilly didn't need to be told twice.

**(To be continued)**

**As the Straw Hats make their way to Dead Man's Rock, they are forced to make a quick stop and resupply. But they quickly find out that the island is controlled by another group of pirates, meanwhile the Reaper is closing in**

**Next time in Chapter 5: Rumble in the Jungle**


	5. Rumble in the Jungle

The Straw Hats had been sailing for three days with Safaia's vivre card as their heading. During that time they had told their "captive" about all the adventures they had encountered so far on their journey.

"Usopp, there was no Sea King with three heads."

"Okay, I made that part up, but every good story deserves a little embellishment.

"That's not embellishing, that's a lie." said Zorro.

"Well at least I can take a walk around an island without getting hopelessly lost."

Zorro partially unsheathed one of his swords.

"Shutting up."

"You really declared war on the World Government just to save one of your friends?" asked Safaia.

"Of course!" said Luffy "I'd do the same for anyone who joined my crew."

All Safaia knew about Luffy and his crew was what she happened to read in the newspapers, but Luffy and his friends told very different stories.

"So when are we going to get to Dead Man's Rock?" asked Luffy at last "We've been sailing for three days."

"Well to tell you the truth, I'm not sure. I was on that slave ship for at least a week until you guys showed up."

"A week?! But I can't wait that long!"

"You know what, maybe we'll get lucky and run into the Marines on our way to the island." said Nami "Or even better, maybe we'll run into Blackbeard."

"That sounds awesome Nami! I've been dying to kick someone's ass!"

"I was being sarcastic."

So far the only action Luffy and his friends had was dealing with some of the New World's unpredictable weather. Safaia was beginning to see just what Luffy and his crew were like when push came to shove.

"So what does Luffy intend to do if and when he becomes the Pirate King?" she asked.

"I don't think he thinks that far ahead." replied Nami "He never would have made it this far without us…"

"And without him none of us would be here." said Robin.

"Land ho!"

There was an island up ahead, but one quick look told Safaia that it wasn't her home or Dead Man's Rock. The vivre card wasn't even pointing in the same direction.

"I think we should stop and resupply." said Sanji "Thanks to Luffy we're running low on food."

"It's not my fault the fish aren't biting."

"Guy's I see a flag."

There was a huge flag swaying over the island. It had a jolly roger and a giant lizard on it.

"This must be some other pirate's territory."

"That doesn't belong to any of the four Emperors… does it?" asked Chopper.

"No, none of the Emperor's use that mark."

The Sunny dropped anchor on the far side of the island. Naturally Luffy was the first person to jump off. Brook, Usopp, and Franky were told to stay on the ship with Safaia while the others went off to get supplies. The only reason Zoro left was because he knew Luffy was bound to start a fight, and he wanted to be there when it happened. The island was full of thick vegetation and all the buildings were little huts up in the trees. Luffy immediately headed for the nearest restaurant. Of course he didn't notice the Navy agent who spotted his all too infamous face. Word quickly went out that the Straw Hats were on Herpeto island.

**(Note: Herpeto comes from the word Herpetology, a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles)**

"Attention all marines in the vicinity of Herpeto Island. By order of the World Nobles, stand down."

"What?! Are you kidding? This is the Straw Hat pirates that we're talking about!"

"I'm well aware; the World Nobles have something special planned for them."

"What do you mean, are they sending one of the Admirals?"

"Even better."

Amazingly it wasn't Luffy that started a fight on the island. While she was out shopping someone didn't respect Nami's personal space. Naturally she blasted him with a thunderbolt.

"Don't touch what you can't afford, scum."

She and the others had nearly made it back to the Sunny when they were surrounded by no less than eighty pirates.

"What's this, a farewell party or a wannabe convention?"

A big guy with rough dark skin, obviously the leader, stepped forward.

"Your little girlfriend hurt one of my boys, that was a mistake…"

"The only mistake made was him thinking he could touch me without paying an incredibly tremendous amount of money."

"No one messes with the Komodo Pirates, now it's time to pay the piper."

Luffy just smiled.

"Dibs on the big guy."

"I'll take the group on the right." said Zoro.

"Do you even know which side is the right?" asked Sanji.

"Let's hurry up and beat these guys so we can take their treasure." said Nami.

"Do you hear these insolent maggots men? Annihilate them!"

Before any of the pirates could move, half of them had their necks snapped by Robin.

"Robin, those guys were ours!"

"I didn't see your names on them."

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

With one swift stroke of his sword Zoro wiped out another ten pirates.

"Amateurs."

Nami struck down another group with a barrage of lightening, Sanji took out a group of his own by spinning around like a whirlwind, Chopper took out a group using his Kung-Fu point, and Luffy immediately went for the leader.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Despite the barrage of punches, the leader looked like he didn't even feel it.

"Okay, how about this? Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

Once again the boss didn't even flinch.

"Now it's my turn."

Within seconds the leader transformed into some kind of giant lizard with razor sharp teeth and claws.

"The devil fruit I ate gives me the power to transform into a giant komodo dragon. My already great strength and speed are enhanced even further. I'll give you a moment to pray for mercy."

Instead Luffy pulled down underneath his right eye and stuck out his tongue.

"That's it!"

Luffy dodged the overgrown lizard's attacks effortlessly.

"Let's see if you feel this one… Armament Hardening! Gum-Gum Bullet!"

Luffy went straight for the creature's gut, the monster stopped dead in its tracks and coughed up some blood.

"I thought so. Now take this! Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Luffy's enhanced gatling attack was enough to bring the giant monster to its knees.

"And one more for the road. Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

This time Luffy was able to send the leader flying off into the setting sun. It was at this point that Brook and the others showed up.

"We heard you all the way from the Sunny, where's the fight?"

"You just missed it." said Zoro.

"Aw… SUPER not cool."

"Don't get upset about it." said Sanji "They were nothing but a bunch of pushovers anyway."

"You didn't leave poor Safaia to guard the ship all by herself, did you?" asked Chopper.

"Guard it from what? Looks like you guys took care of all the creeps on this island anyway."

"While you're here, you can help us find the Komodo pirate's treasure." said Nami.

While Luffy and his friends went off to raid the Komodo Pirate's base, several marines were busy setting up visual transponder snails on the island.

"Sir, the last snail is in place."

"Excellent. Take your men and return to the ship, tell the World Nobles that everything is ready. I'll deal with them myself."

"Are you sure sir? They do outnumber you nine to one."

"One, nine, one hundred, or seven thousand, it doesn't make any difference." laughed the Reaper "No matter what happens I hold the winning hand."

**To be continued**

**The Straw Hats are in for the fight of their lives. Need I say more?**

**Next time in Chapter 6: The Reaper Strikes!**


	6. The Reaper Strikes

It didn't take the Straw Hat's long to find the Komodo Pirate's treasure, which altogether amounted to a little over 100,000,000 belli. By the time they were nearly done loading it the sun had gone down.

"We should hurry back to the Sunny and get going." said Nami "There's a storm coming… and a big one by the looks of it."

"She's right, those clouds are beginning to look very nasty." said Chopper.

"I just wish those guys had put up more of a fight." said Sanji "I didn't even break a sweat."

"Yeah, I hope we get to fight someone better real soon." said Luffy with a big smile on his face.

"You should be careful what you wish for kid."

All the Straw Hats jumped at the sound of the deep booming voice the resonated around them.

"Who's there?!"

"I am everything you have grown to fear. I am death."

"Quit playing games!" said Zoro already drawing one of his swords "Show yourself!"

"Follow the cold shiver and sweat trickling down your backs."

After two years of training Luffy was very adept at using his haki, he could sense there was something very bad close by, something evil, and it made his skin crawl, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"I'm over here!"

They looked up and saw a man in golden and black armor with a matching cape standing on a tree branch. Underneath the three horned golden mask that he wore his eyes were glowing eerily.

"Does… anyone have any idea who or what this is?" asked Usopp.  
"Oh my… is that real gold?!" exclaimed Nami.

"Yes it is… And you… you're Monkey D. Luffy, are you not?"

Some of the others were surprised that Luffy hadn't asked this stranger to join their crew yet, but for some reason he didn't look very eager to even make this person's acquaintance.

"Yes… I'm going to be King of the Pirates."

He started to laugh, a laugh that made Chopper jump behind the others and cause Usopp and Brook to chatter their teeth.  
"A bold claim… but I'm afraid your journey ends here. Nothing personal… but my employers have paid me a tremendous amount of money to come here and kill you… now you face… the Reaper."

"Sorry dude, never heard of you." said Sanji.

"I'm not surprised… See, in order for there to be stories… a person like me needs to make it a habit to leave survivors… but that's not how I work."

Luffy and some of the others started to notice that there were some transponders snails scattered about that were looking at them.

"That's right, smile. My employers want your execution to be as public as it will be painful. Besides, I don't usually leave much to identify a body… Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, live from the island of Herpeto in the New World… the death of Monkey D. Luffy."

"THE REAPER?! HE'S REAL!" exclaimed the Marines of G-5.

"Sir, who is this guy?" asked Tashigi.

Vice Admiral Smoker was looking at the screen with his arms crossed.

"He's the World Nobles' personal assassin, the person they send in when they feel no one else can get the job done. Rumor has it that a few years ago they made him fight against the three Admirals for sport, and the match ended in a draw because they couldn't even touch him."

"This guy is that powerful?!"

"I don't know. I've heard the stories, but I never actually thought he was real. I guess we're about to find out."

On the screen the Reaper jumped down from the tree he was standing in and drew his sword. Tashigi immediately recognized it as the Azrael's Scythe, an infamous sword that came from a long line of assassins. Overtime it had been stained with the blood of thousands, and the Reaper looked all too eager to add the Straw Hat's blood to the collection.

"I've only been paid to kill Monkey D. Luffy; since I'm too kind I'll give the rest of you this chance to escape. You may commence running."

"No freaking way pal!" said Franky.

"Yeah, that's our captain you're threatening!" said Brook drawing his sword.

The Reaper laughed.

"Oh, so you all want a piece of me. Very well… Are you all going to come at me at once, is someone going to volunteer, or should I just pick one of you at random?"

"I got him." said Zoro drawing his swords.

"No way! I'll take him!" said Sanji.

"You guys already got to fight! He's mine!" said Franky.

"Those guys were losers!" said Luffy "Besides, I'm the one he wants!"

Eventually the boys had to settle the matter with a game of Rock-paper-scissors. The World Nobles couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Are they actually fighting over which one of them gets to get killed by the Reaper first?"

"This won't last long."

"You do realize that now we have to pay him the extra fifty percent and provide him with more slaves."

"It'll be worth it. Monkey D. Luffy's death will send a clear message to any other potential troublemakers, and perhaps it will help keep the Warlords in line."

"Ha! Rock smashes scissors!" said Sanji.

"Cursed curly eye browed chain smoking pain in the ass."

"Zoro, it's because you always do scissors." said Nami.

Sanji stepped up to face the Reaper.

"And you must be Black-Leg Sanji… Total bounty is 77,000,000 belli. Congratulations, you're worth less than the last seven guys I killed."

"That bounty is over two years old; I've gotten a lot tougher since then. Or did you not hear that I was able to break a Pacifista's neck with one kick?"

"The Pacifista?" laughed the Reaper "I pick my teeth with those tinker toys. But for that I'll give you a handicap."

The Reaper stuck his sword in the ground.

"I'll fight without using either of my hands."

"Funny, that's exactly how I fight, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone like you."

"Worry about yourself pirate, you're the one who's looking death in the eye."

Another loud voice boomed throughout the area.

"Black-Leg Sanji vs. The Golden Reaper. Three… two… one… FIGHT!"

Sanji waited for the Reaper to charge at him, but it didn't happen.

"Okay… if you're not capable of bringing the pain then I'll bring it to you!"

Sanji leapt up high into the air and came down like meteor.

"_Activating shit storm in three… two… one."_

It happened so fast that Luffy and the others could barely believe it. When Sanji got too close the Reaper leapt to the side, then countered with a kick to Sanji's right leg. Chopper heard bones snapping, and then Sanji hit the ground hard and screamed.

"Black-Leg Sanji… Total fight time: five seconds. It's official, you suck!"

"If you utter one word… OW!"

"What are you going to do, crawl over here and bite me in the leg?" asked Zoro.

"Chopper, take Sanji back to the ship and take care of him!"

"You got it!"

Chopper transformed into his heavy point and carried Sanji off.

"Alright… now who's next?" asked the Reaper.

**To be continued**

**End of demo. Sanji, one of the Straw Hat Pirates' best fighters has already fallen to the Reaper. Can the others hold off this man hunter hell-bent on their Captain's life? The whole world is watching.**

**Next time in Chapter 7: The Storm Breaks**


	7. The Storm Breaks

Princess Vivi Nefertari of the kingdom of Alabasta couldn't believe what she was seeing. She met Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates years ago and they helped save her kingdom from the designs of the then Pirate Warlord Crocodile. To this day she still considered them to be her friends. As she remembered, Sanji was one of the groups' three best fighters. But this person calling himself the Reaper had just beaten him effortlessly and with a single kick.

"Who is this... monster? He reminds me of Crocodile… I just hope Luffy's strong enough to handle him…"

Meanwhile, back on Herpeto, the Straw Hats were still shocked to see that Sanji had been beaten so easily.

"This guy's good." whispered Nami.

"Do you still wish to protect your captain? I'm waiting." said the Reaper.

Zoro stepped up to the plate.

"Alright, if no one is going to volunteer, then I'll fight him next! Some day I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the world, and if this bastard wants our captain he's going to have to go through me."

"Zoro, with all due respect, he just beat Sanji in a matter of seconds."

"What else would you expect from a hemophilic second rate chef like that?"

"I heard that you moss-haired son of bitch! Ow! My leg!"

"Point proven."

Zoro drew all three of his swords.

"That's a nice sword you've got there Mr. Reaper… now let's see how well you handle it."

"Pirate Hunter Zoro… Total bounty is 120,000,000 belli. The only other person on this crew besides the captain that has a bounty that exceeds 100,000,000. Let's see if you live up to it."

"Don't worry; I'll do more than that."

"Tell me something, are those three swords supposed to scare me?"

"I could ask you the same thing about your stupid mask."

The Reaper laughed.

"Ouch… Well maybe this will scare you. A few years ago I was paid to fight the three Admirals, and the World Nobles all took bets on who they thought would win. I really pissed them off when the match ended in a draw."

Luffy and his crew knew from personal experience just how powerful the three Admirals were, and this guy was telling him that he had fought all three of them at the same time to a standstill.

"How the hell did you manage to pull something like that off?!" asked Usopp.

"That's my little secret… So tell me, have any of you pissed yourselves yet?"

"Why would I?" asked Luffy "I don't have to use the bathroom."

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and loud crack of thunder.

"Pirate Hunter Zoro vs. The Golden Reaper. Three… two… one… fight!"

Zoro attempted to feint the Reaper and catch him off guard, but it didn't work. Instead the Reaper stood his ground and waited for Zoro to attack for real.

"_I'm not making the same mistake as that no-brain cook."_

Zoro waited patiently until the Reaper finally advanced. When the blow finally came he couldn't believe the strength of it. If not for the two years he spent training under Mihawk it would have knocked his swords right out of his hands.

"Scared yet?"

"Not in a million years."

Zoro struck a couple blows, but the Reaper blocked them effortlessly and pulled back.

"_He's taunting me…Well let's see him block this."_

Zoro judged the difference between himself and his target.

"Three Sword Style… Bull Horns!"

Zoro charged at the Reaper with two of his swords held out like the horns of a bull, but his swords never found their target. Zoro turned around, and in a flash of lightning he saw that the Reaper's sword was stained with blood. Zoro then noticed the blood dripping from his shoulder.

"First blood is mine."

"All that matters is who draws the last. This might have hurt an amateur, but a swordsman like me doesn't even feel it."

"Then you might want to be careful, the next one could be through your heart."

"I'd like to see you try."

"It seems that your captain isn't the only one who should be careful as to what he wishes for."

The Reaper pointed his sword at Zoro's chest, and then his whole body began to spin around like a whirlwind. Zoro stood his ground and managed to block the blow, but it took some effort.

"Impressive… Most men flee in terror when I do that."

"And I imagine they end up with a blade through their chest."

"You may yet find one in yours."

Zoro shoved the Reaper back and parried with him, but the Reaper was blocking all his attacks with little effort.

"_He's not taking this seriously!"_

As much as Tashigi hated to admit it, Roronoa Zoro was one of the best swordsmen of his generation, but the Reaper was making sport of him.

"Who is this man?"

"I heard he's responsible for the massacre on Chizu Island."

Tashigi remembered the incident at Chizu Island well. About a year after the Battle at Marineford a group of pirates inspired by Monkey D. Luffy's actions were preparing to stage a coup and assassinate the World Nobles. The Marines caught wind of their activities and G-5 was sent to bring them to justice, but when they got there all they found was limbs that had been cut clean off and lots of blood.

Zoro continued his ferocious attack against the Reaper, but the Reaper continued to block his blows like he wasn't even trying.

"_This is getting ridiculous. Let's see him dodge this."_

As the lightning flashed, Luffy and the others saw that Zoro looked furious.

"Three sword style… Three Thousand Worlds!"

Zoro spun his swords around and charged; once again he failed to find his target, and once again he saw that the Reaper's sword was stained with more blood. He looked down and saw that it was spilling all over him.

"Very impressive, most men would have collapsed by now. But you're still acting like you don't even feel it."

"I'm not just any man… I've already told you… I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman."

"As bold a claim as your captain's. But I'm afraid you won't get to fulfill it, for death has found you. Of course if you'd just surrender your captain to me… I might just pass you by."

The rain had started to fall now.

"The only person who's going to die here… is you!"

The others saw that Zoro had lost it and was about to pull out all the stops.

"Nine sword style… Demon Nine Flashes!"

Zoro's nine sword techniques always amazed the other members of the crew, but the Reaper must've had ice in the blood because he didn't even flinch at the sight. Zoro charged.

"Take him down Zoro!"

Amazingly the Reaper was standing his ground. He was blocking and dodging Zoro's attacks like he knew exactly where the next attack was coming from, then without warning he vanished.

"What the heck?!"

"He's using his haki to increase his speed!"

Zoro looked around, but he couldn't see his prey.

"Zoro! Behind you!"

Luffy's warning came too late. Zoro felt the Reaper's blade slash him across the back.

"No… no you didn't."

Getting a wound to the back was an insult to pirates, especially an accomplished swordsman like Zoro; it meant you that you had run from a fight. Even someone with Zoro's unbreakable will could only fight the effects of massive blood loss for so long. Within a matter of moments he collapsed.

"Pirate Hunter Zoro… total fight time: eight minutes twenty-seven seconds. You could do worse for someone with a bounty over 100,000,000."

"This can't be happening…"

The rain was really coming down now. This was beginning to feel more and more like the incident at Sabaody Archipelago where the Straw Hats had been overwhelmed by the Pacifista.

**(To be continued)**

**With their numbers quickly falling, is there anything the remaining members of the Straw Hat crew can do to topple this seemingly invincible adversary?**

**Next time in Chapter 8: Luffy's Resolve**


	8. Luffy's Resolve

The news of the Straw Hat's fight against the Reaper had reached Fishman Island.

"Damn it this is bad…"

"This Reaper person has defeated two of Straw Hat's best fighters like they were nothing!"

Not too long ago the Straw Hat's came to Fishman Island on their way to the New World; during that time they defeated Hordy Jones and made the island their territory. But most importantly Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi could finally made some real friends.

"This can't be happening… it can't be…"

Someone had paid this person calling himself the Reaper to kill Luffy. So far he had defeated both Sanji and Zoro, two of the toughest members of Luffy's crew, and he wasn't about to stop there.

"Sister, don't forget that Luffy still hasn't fought him yet, and he's tougher than all the other members of his crew."

During the battle on Fishman Island, Luffy took out 50,000 men just by exerting his haki.

"Don't forget, he made you a promise, and I'm sure he intends to keep it."

Luffy had helped Shirahoshi learn how to use her special ability to control the Sea Kings, and he promised that upon completion of his quest to become King of the Pirates he would take her for a walk on an island above the water.

"Luffy, you have to find a way to beat this guy."

Meanwhile, back on the stormy island of Herpeto, Luffy was trying to find a way to do just that. He still couldn't believe that Zoro and Sanji had been beaten so easily. So far he could tell that the Reaper was a powerful haki user and an accomplished swordsman, but it was still how effortlessly he had one his fights that worried him.

"_Zoro and Sanji are two of the toughest guys I know…and he didn't even take a scratch."_

"What the hell happened here?!"

Chopper had just returned from the Sunny to see Zoro kneeling in a pool of his own blood.

"Chopper, we need you to take care of Zoro."

"I'm fine!" said Zoro trying to get up by leaning on one of his swords "Just give me a minute… and I'll kill this guy so bad he'll… he'll…"

Zoro fell over again.

"You know, it's really funny that he's still conscious, given the amount of blood that he's lost." laughed the Reaper.

Chopper did his best to stop the bleeding, and then he picked Zoro up and took him back to the Sunny.

"Does anyone have a magic bullet to deal with this one?" asked Nami.

"Leave it to me." said Robin "Dos Fleur."

Two arms sprouted out of the Reaper's armor and grabbed his head.

"You're a tough customer Mr. Reaper… but speed, strength, and agility don't mean anything to someone like me… CLUTCH!"

The Reaper's head twisted a little, but no one heard a snap.

"What?"

Suddenly the Reaper pulled two tasers from his belt and stabbed the two arms clutching his head. Robin was knocked back by the pain.

"You think I wear this suit just for fun?"

"Okay… let's see if it can protect you from being crushed."

"And how are you going to get me to stand still that long?"

"Like this… Ocho Fleur! Clutch!"

Eight arms sprouted out of the Reaper's armor and grabbed all of his limbs to hold him in place.

"Cien Fluer, Big Tree!"

Two huge hands sprouted out of the ground and formed fists.

"Does death have any last words?"

"Two… Nite-nite."

Suddenly a small compartment on the Reaper's mask opened up and fired a small projectile that struck Robin in the chest.

"Oh… crap."

Robin collapsed into Franky's arms, and all the arms binding the Reaper vanished.

"What did you do to her?!"

"Don't worry, it's just a tranquilizer. I was only hired to kill Monkey D. Luffy. I can deal with the rest of you in any way that I see fit, and I think the two of you would make fine additions to my already impressive collection of servant girls."

The Reaper was careful not to use the word slave while the whole world was watching.

"That's not gonna happen." said Nami "You couldn't afford me anyway."

"I'm not sure about that, I can afford quite a lot."

"I've heard quite enough! You've hurt too many of our friends!" said Brook.

"Yeah, it's go time!" said Franky gently putting Robin down on the ground. "Weapon's Left!"

Franky shot at the Reaper from the guns in his left hand, but he managed to dodge all the shots, that's when Brook charged at him with his sword, but the Reaper just spun around and blocked it with his own.

"I've already faced death once already, and it doesn't scare me anymore."

"Tell me something… Do you feel pain?"

"You wouldn't think I'd be able to, seeing that I don't have a nervous system. YOHOHOHOHO!"

The Reaper broke the lock on their swords, spun around, and kicked Brook in the face.

"OW! I think you broke my jaw!"

"If I had broken your jaw you wouldn't be able to talk."

"I shouldn't be able to talk at all, since I don't have lungs or a tongue. YOHOHOHO!"

"Brook, this is no time for your lame jokes!"

"Strong Right!"

Franky fired his right fist at the Reaper, but he jumped up and avoided it.

"This looks like a job for the Great Captain Usopp! The best sniper in the world! Green Star Rafflesia!"

Usopp didn't actually have to hit the Reaper with this shot; the plan was to have the Rafflesia stun the Reaper with its smell, then he could hit him with his Fire Bird Star.

"Uh… why isn't he disgusted by the smell?"

"Countless enemies have tried to poison me in the past. That's why I built filters into my mask."

Franky seized the opportunity while the Reaper was distracted.

"Franky Fireball!"

The Reaper dodged the attack and started to charge at Franky.

"Time to unveil my newest feature. Franky Spike Knuckles!"

Spikes emerged out of Franky's knuckles. The punches began to fly and Brook came back into the fight and slashed at him with his sword.

"He's just dodging or blocking every hit! What kind of insane mental discipline has this guy gone through?"

"I have an idea guys." said Nami "Usopp, you and the others keep him busy. Mirage Tempo!"

Nami vanished.

"You're really pissing me off!" said Franky once again trying to swat the Reaper.

"It's what I do." said the Reaper blocking another slash from Brook.

"Green Star Devil!"

The Reaper cut the huge Venus Flytrap in half shortly after it sprouted, then he charged at Usopp.

"Oh crap! Fire Bird Star!"

Once again the Reaper dodged the attack. Usopp fired more shots, but they all missed as well, and then the Reaper nailed him where it hurt.

"Ow…"

"Usopp!"

Suddenly Luffy found himself back at Marineford. It was exactly how he remembered it. All the fighting, the chaos, the fire, the screaming, and finally holding his dying brother in his arms.

"_No… it's happening again."_

Brook charged at the Reaper and parried with him.

"Franky Radical Beam!"

The Reaper quickly punched Brook with his free hand, causing his head to spin. He then jumped over Franky's attack, and pulled some kind of pistol from belt. It fired some kind of pulse, and when it struck Franky he started shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh shizniz margara fire cola… mukka mukka mukka… Alpha Epsilon Delta Omega… Nails hair back ax guns idiot bomb SUPER rocket… Time to test out my new gadget!"

Franky turned around, away from the Reaper, and some kind of cannon emerged from his back. He fired several projectiles that turned out to be shirts that had "Luffy is our king" written on them.

"Why does he have a t-shirt cannon?" asked the Reaper "Oh well, looks like this little gift from Vegapunk works."

"Black Ball Rain Rod!"

Nami's attack didn't find the Reaper; he jumped over and punched her in the face.

"_What? How did he know where I was?!"_

"I hope that didn't hurt too much. I usually don't hurt my servant girls unless they refuse my orders."

"I'm not your servant girl! Thunder Breed Tempo!"

Nami created several thunderclouds, and then concentrated all the lightning into a single burst that she fired at the Reaper.

"Yeah! Direct hit! What?!"

The Reaper emerged from the smoke unscathed.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"You didn't think I'd make this suit insulated? What kind of idiot do you think I am?"

"Nami… take the others and get back to the ship." said Luffy.

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you."

"No freaking way! You've seen how tough this guy is!"

"As your captain, I order you to return to the ship."

"But Luffy… ow." said Usopp.

"Don't worry guys… I'm not going to die."

The others figured that Luffy must've completely forgotten that what he just said was the last thing the Pirate King said to his first mate before he turned himself over to be executed.

"Our captain has spoken…" said Franky coming to his senses and fixing Brook's head "You help long nose get on his feet, I'll get Robin."

"Why do you get to carry Robin?"

"Because I was smart enough to call it first."

The Reaper paid no attention to the Straw Hats that were fleeing; both his eyes were on their captain.

"Offering yourself up for sacrifice? You're either really brave or really stupid."

"Neither. I'm just doing what any captain should do for his crew. And who said anything about sacrifice? Don't forget I'm going to be the King of the Pirates."

"We'll see about that."

**To be continued**

**Luffy stares into the eyes of death. So far the seemingly unstoppable Reaper has proven himself against his entire crew. Can the Captain of the Straw Hats overcome the odds and find a way to bring him down?**

**Next time in Chapter 9: Luffy vs. The Reaper**


	9. Luffy vs The Reaper

"So selfless, putting himself on the line for his crew… Any other man would be running or begging for mercy right now. But not my Luffy… He can stare into the eyes of death and smile… I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!" exclaimed Pirate Empress Boa Hancock.

"I just hope Luffy's training will be enough. So far this guy has taken out his entire crew and hasn't even broken a sweat."

"How can you tell? He's dressed head to toe in body armor."

"Of course he's going to win! Luffy's going to conquer the New World, and we will rule the Grand Line as King and Queen!"

A few years ago when Luffy was about to leave the Island of Women, Boa Hancock nearly died. Ever since he departed for the New World he was all she could think about. Her sisters figured that if she stopped believing that one day he would return and marry her she'd probably go insane and have a heart attack.

"Come on Luffy! Kick his butt!"

On the island of Herpeto, Luffy and the Reaper were staring each other down in the rain. Luffy was trying to buy enough to time for his friends to get back to the Sunny.

"One of the World Nobles specifically stated that he wanted you to be beaten, impaled, stabbed, hung by your own entrails, your fingers and toes chopped of and marinated in your own fluids, your limbs made into maracas, your teeth pulled out and made into jewelry, your heart cut out and reproductive organs torn off, roasted on an open fire, and stuffed down your throat… I'm not sure about all that, but I will however cut your tongue out so you can't scream, rip your eyes from their sockets, and feed you to a school of sharks… maybe even a Sea King."

"That's not going to happen."

"Because you're going to be the Pirate King? If I had a hundred belli for every pirate that said the same thing, I'd be even richer. What makes you so special?"

"I'm the one who really is going to be the Pirate King."

"I'm afraid not… Death has found you."

"Straw Hat Luffy… The Reaper… 3… 2… 1… fight!"

After watching his crew get decimated by the Reaper, Luffy knew he couldn't pull any punches.

"Second Gear!"

Luffy could feel the energy surging through his body, but he knew better than to just charge in and attack. So far the Reaper's strategy seemed to involve dodging and or blocking anything his opponent threw at him and then countering.

"_I'll let him make the first move."_

Having waited long enough, the Reaper started to channel energy into his sword. When he swung it the blade fired a crescent shaped bolt. Luffy dodged it by jumping high into the air.

"Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"

The Reaper stood his ground. He put his free hand out in front of him, and then by exerting his haki he caught Luffy's attack like it was a ball.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that."

Luffy quickly retracted his arm and waited for the Reaper to attack again.

"Hmm… Seems you're not as dim witted as I've been led to believe. Then again I guess you wouldn't have been able to evade the Navy and World Government for two whole years after everything you've done if you were a complete idiot. Very well…"

The Reaper started channeling energy through his sword again.

"Dodge this, Extermination Strike!"

This time the attack was a large X shaped bolt. Luffy leapt to the side and countered.

"Gum-Gum Jet Bazooka!"

Before Luffy's arms could reach him, the Reaper jumped up high into the air again with his sword burning with energy.

"Giga Guillotine!"

Luffy retracted his arms just in time to avoid getting them chopped off.

"If I'm not careful… he'll cut me in half. Gum-Gum Jet Whip!"

The Reaper did several backflips to avoid Luffy's attack; then he held out his hand and sent Luffy flying into a tree with a mere exertion of his haki.

"Okay, this is just getting ridiculous… Armament Hardening! Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"

The Reaper charged straight at Luffy, avoiding or parrying any blows that game his way.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"And now for the big finish!"

The Reaper's sword burned with more energy than ever before.

"Final Judgment Strike!"

"No you don't!"

After two years of training Luffy could finally control his ability to use the third and rarest form of haki, Conqueror Haki. At Fishman Island Luffy had used this power to knock out 50,000 men without lifting a finger, but people with stronger wills could resist or ignore the effects. The Reaper was knocked back, but he was strong enough to shake it off.

"Wow!"

Vivi couldn't believe how much stronger Luffy had gotten since the last time she saw him. It was like he was an entirely different person.

"There's no doubt in my mind… he's going to be the Pirate King!"

On Water Seven, the Island of Women, and Fishman Island everyone was cheering.

"Take him down Luffy!"

"Not bad…" said the Reaper getting to his feet "Yes, I can see why some of the former Warlords and most of the Navy would have trouble with you. But make no mistake kid; you're nowhere near my equal."

"Are you sure about that? So far we've fought to a standstill."

"Only because I've been holding back, but even if you could match me in combat you'd still have no chance of defeating me. You see… I control a devil fruit power that is without rival. The World Government tried to get their hands on it, they probably would have sealed it in a Sea-Prism stone vault deep beneath the sea because they feared it so… but luckily I found it first."

"So what does it do?"

"That's my little secret. All you need to know is that you have absolutely no chance of defeating me. No matter who my enemy is, I'm always holding the winning hand."

The Reaper pulled something out from his belt.

"Is that a…"

The Reaper pushed the button on the detonator he was holding, and then the island's volcano erupted.

"This guy's insane!" exclaimed Tashigi.

"That would be putting it mildly." said Smoker.

"Bringing the Straw Hats to justice is one thing, but he just destroyed an island!"

"He's the personal assassin of the World Nobles; I'm sure as far as he's concerned that means he can do whatever he wants and get away with it."

Herpeto Island had become a sea of flame and lava. Luffy was jumping from burning trees and rocks trying to evade the Reaper's attacks. It reminded him of the lower levels of Impel Down, the heat zapped Luffy's strength and the smoke made it harder for him to breathe.

"_He's doing more than just reading my movements and anticipating my attacks with his haki. I should at least be able to hit him."_

"You keep claiming that someday you're going to be the Pirate King, but at the end of the day you're just a kid from the East Blue that ate a devil fruit. It doesn't matter if you're the demon seed of Davy Jones, no one can cheat death."

Budda-buda-budda-budda-buda-budda-budda-buda-budda 

"Time out." said the Reaper sticking his sword in the rock he was standing on "I have to take this."

The Reaper reached into his belt and pulled out a transponder snail.

"Hello."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You just cost me a hundred million belli!"

"Oh, I didn't know you and the others were placing bets on this match. And what are you so worked up about? A hundred million belli is nothing for spoiled rich pansies like you."

"You insolent maggot! We're paying you kill him!"

"And last I checked I'm still well within the agreed time parameters."

"Stop fooling around and kill him already!"

"Or you'll do what? Send one of the admirals? You know they can't kill me, and even if they could you'd be destroying the only hope you have of killing Blackbeard or whichever of the Four Emperors finds the One Piece."

"Ugh… I'm going to get you… you filthy unsanitary bug infested…"

"You really don't want to finish that sentence."

The Reaper ended the transmission.

"That was one of my employers. Turns out they're getting a little impatient. Oh well, all good things must come to an end. Let's see how long you last when I fight at full strength."

Luffy could feel the Reaper's haki spiking, and once again it made his flesh crawl. Without warning the Reaper vanished and appeared right in front of him, and then he dealt him a powerful blow to the head.

"Tell me something, what hurts more… the right or the left?"

Before Luffy could recover the Reaper struck him again.

"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"

"That again? You're becoming too predictable."

The Reaper dodged Luffy's attacks, charged up, and kicked him in the leg. Luffy barely had time to raise a defense; otherwise his leg surely would have been broken.

"Are you ready to give up yet?"

"Never! Armament Hardening! Gum-Gum Bell!"

Luffy flung his head at the Reaper, but he just ended up getting it kicked like a soccer ball.

"No… Luffy."

Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi was doing her best not to cry, but Luffy was being beaten by this masked menace. Everything about him was terrifying. She didn't know what was worse, seeing him hurt her friends or hearing his voice.

Luffy suffered a few more punishing blows from the Reaper; he almost got knocked into the lava.

"So this is the great Straw Hat Luffy… what a laugh. You may have done some crazy things to gain the attention of the Navy and the World Government, but it was quite a stretch of the imagination to think someone like you could actually become the Pirate King."

Becoming the Pirate King wasn't the only thing Luffy was thinking about. He was thinking about his crew, all the friends he had made on his journey so far, and all the promises he had made.

"_Laboon… Hancock… Shirahoshi… everyone… I promised my crew that I wasn't going to die here… I won't!"_

Luffy bit his thumb.

"Third gear!"

Luffy inflated both his arms.

"Armament hardening, Gum-Gum Elephant Gatling!"

Luffy flung his inflated and reinforced arms like a madman, he knew that if he could just hit the Reaper with one shot then the damage should be sufficient enough to knock him out, but even with most of the air in his forearms and fists it seemed that he still couldn't move fast enough.

"Damn it! Hold still!"

"Not on the best day of your life… and this certainly isn't it."

Luffy continued to fire his enlarged fists at the Reaper, when suddenly he felt a swift and sharp jolt of pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that there was a sword sticking out of his abdomen before he collapsed.

All across the sea people cried, Princesses Vivi and Shirahoshi both screamed, and Pirate Empress Boa Hancock fainted.

"That's gotta hurt… Oh who am I kidding? I know it hurts."

The Reaper walked over and pulled his sword out.

"Don't worry; I missed your vital organs on purpose. You don't get to go just yet."

The Reaper pressed his boot against Luffy's wound.

"Once I've dealt with the rest of your crew, burned your ship and sunk the remains, and added your two women to my collection of servant girls… then you're free to bleed out and die."

Between the pain, the heat, and the smoke, Luffy could barely keep his eyes open.

"_Don't you even think about dying!"_

"_What… Ace? Is that you?"_

Through his tear soaked eyes Luffy could swear he saw his big brother.

"_You're going to be the Pirate King, remember? If you're my little brother get up and fight!"_

"Any last requests?"

Whether it was divine providence or just a hallucination, Luffy's brief conversation with his late brother was all he needed.

"Gum… Gum… Bullet!"

Luffy managed to hit the Reaper right in the kisser and sent him flying. He didn't pay attention to where he landed; he was too focused on trying to stand up.

"I've… got… to get back to the Sunny… I need… Chopper to close this wound."

With the island all but obliterated by the volcano, Luffy couldn't remember where the Sunny was. He strained himself to sense where the others were.

"There… that's definitely them."

Luckily there were still some burning trees for Luffy to grab onto.

"Gum… Gum… Rocket!"

**(To be continued)**

**The Reaper is down but not out. As the Straw Hats attempt to flee they find themselves being chased by the Reaper's personal flagship, Charon's Revenge! Can the Straw Hats hope to escape with half their crew down?**

**Next time in Chapter 10: Cowabunga and Away!**


	10. Cowabunga and Away!

Ever since the other Straw Hats had run off to join whatever fight Luffy and the others had gotten themselves into, Safaia had been left alone on the Sunny. For a moment she considered running for it, but all she knew about the island was that it was controlled by another gang of pirates, pirates who most likely weren't as friendly as Luffy and his crew. She spent most of her time in the library, until she heard the sound of someone jumping onboard. She came up to see that it was Chopper carrying Sanji with a broken leg. She helped Chopper carry him down to the sick bay where he made a cast for him. Chopper gave her instructions on how to care for him while he returned to the fight, a few minutes later he returned with Zoro, who had been bleeding out from various wounds. Soon after the other members of the crew returned to the ship, but their captain wasn't among them. They quickly filled Safaia and the others in on the situation.

"This guy beat all of us like we were nothing and now Luffy is taking him on by himself?!" asked Sanji.

"If anyone can do it he can."

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"What the hell was that?!"

"That was a cluster of bombs, obviously." said Franky.

"Looks like they just went off all over the island."

Moments later lava began spewing out of the volcano, frying everything in its path.

"We've got to get out of here!" said Usopp.

"We're not leaving without our captain."

"For all we know he could be dead already!"

"Don't you dare talk like that!"

"Nami, can you see anything?!"

It was hard to see anything through the storm and the rising smoke that covered the island, but Nami kept looking. Suddenly something came soaring through the rain and smoke at great speed.

"Oh my god… Chopper!"

Luffy crashed onto the deck of the ship clutching his chest, blood was spilling out.

"Someone ran him through with a sword." said Chopper "He's losing too much blood!"

"What do we do?"

Chopper was trying to think. Luffy was turning pale. He was going to need a transfusion, but first he had to stop the bleeding and he needed to do it fast.

"Franky, get me a flat metal surface!"

"Wait!" exclaimed Safaia "Let me try something."

Safaia knelt down before Luffy's head.

"Luffy, can you hear me? I can help you, but I need you to promise me that once you've found Black Hook Bart's treasure you'll take me home."

Luffy opened his eyes and smiled.

"Of course I will… we're friends aren't we?"

"Okay… Hold still."

"What are you doing?"

Safaia's whole body started glowing, and then she placed her hand over Luffy's wound. Suddenly his wound started to close on its own. When it was done it was like Luffy had never been wounded at all.

"He's probably still going to need a… need a… transfusion."

Safaia collapsed.

"What the heck just happened?" asked Franky.

"She must be a devil fruit user. Luffy's wound just healed like magic!"

"Then why didn't she heal Sanji and Zoro earlier?"

"Probably because we're pirates." said Nami "Maybe she thought that if we knew she had an ability like that then we wouldn't take her back home. Remember when I was double-crossed by Arlong?"

"I guess you're right."

"Besides, it looks like using that ability takes a lot out of her."

"He still needs a transfusion, someone help me get him down to the sick bay."

"Guys… we need to leave now… The Reaper's still out there… I couldn't even hit him."

"You heard the captain, pull up anchor! Let's get the hell out of here!"

Back on the island, the Reaper was just now being woken by the sound of his transponder snail ringing. He didn't answer it because he knew it was just one or more of the Celestial Dragons calling to yell at him. He tried to use his devil fruit power, but his limit must've passed because nothing happened.

"Stupid and careless! I should have made sure I killed him first. Now the whole world just saw him escape."

He immediately terminated the connection with the Celestial Dragons and raised The Revenge.

"Bring the ship around to my location, get here fast or there will be the devil to pay!"

Once Chopper had given Luffy his transfusion he told the others about what had happened.

"This is insane." said Zoro from his bed "Even if he was trained to use observation haki there's no way he should have been able to dodge all of our attacks."

"He didn't. I managed to get off one hit after he stabbed me."

"Did you knock him unconscious?"

"I must've, otherwise there's no way he would have let me get away."

"You said that he talked about having a devil fruit that was unrivaled. Maybe that's how he was able to beat us, but he wouldn't have been able to use it if he was unconscious."

"I can't think of any devil fruit powers that would let him do what he did, unless he ate a Dodge-Dodge fruit." said Brook.

"Wow! I've never heard of the Dodge-Dodge fruit." said Luffy.

"That's because there's no such thing." said Sanji.

"Then what kind of devil fruit did he eat?"

"We can figure that out later, we've got company! Ship off the port stern!"

All the members of the crew that were able to walk went out onto the deck. There was a large black ship with a skull with three horns for its figurehead gaining on them.

"It's the Reaper!" exclaimed Nami while looking through the telescope.

"Guy's, normally I'd never back down from a fight, but we can't beat this guy!"

"Stop the presses, it's a miracle." said Nami under her breath "Franky, Coup De Burst!"

"You got it!"

Franky hit the button, but nothing happened.

"Uh… why aren't we soaring through the air?" asked Usopp.

"Franky, check the engines!"

Franky went down below and saw that the engines had been sabotaged.

"Someone must've gotten aboard while we were fighting the Komodo Pirates!"

"From now on when we tell you to stay with the ship you stay with the ship!"

"Let's just hope there is a next time!"

The Reaper stood at the bow of the ship with a transponder snail in his hand.

"Attention all ladies, things are about to get a little bumpy. I strongly suggest you head down to the ship's bunker and strap yourselves in. The rest of you get ready to blow that ship to hell."

While the hired marines were running about the ship preparing for battle, the Reaper turned back to the visual transponder snails.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard my personal flagship, Charon's Revenge. The Straw Hats think they can outrun me, but earlier they made a critical mistake by leaving their ship unprotected. There will be no quick getaway for them this time."

Safaia was woken by the violent rocking of the ship and the sound of cannon fire.

"What's going on?" she said trying to shake off her fatigue.

"Uh yeah, all those cannon shots, that means we're in the middle of a fight." said Zoro trying to get out of his bed.

"Don't even think about it!" said Chopper transforming into his kung-fu point and knocking Zoro in the head "You're in no condition to fight!"

The Revenge was firing at the Sunny from the triple-barreled chase guns inside the figurehead's eyes. Nami and the others were doing the best they could to evade the shots, but so far there had been far too many near misses. The fact that there was a fierce storm going on wasn't helping. Wave after wave crashed against the Sunny's hull.

"I count thirty-two cannons, eighteen on either side! If they catch up to us we're in big trouble! Franky, what's the situation down there?!"

"Whoever tore up the engine sure didn't want us getting away!"

"Can you fix it?!"

"Of course I can! But it's going to take some time!"

"Do us all a favor and work faster!"

"If we survive this we really need to put some weapons on the stern!" said Usopp.

Back aboard the Revenge, the Reaper felt that it was time to test out the ship's latest addition.

"Fire the laser!"

The Revenge fired a huge laser from the mouth of its figurehead; the blast struck the side of the Sunny.

"I love this thing. Fire again!"

The Reaper waited for two minutes, but nothing happened.

"Why is there no laser?"

"Sir, it takes at least ten minutes for the thing to cool down and charge back up." said one of the engineers.

"Err… Then fire the shrapnel bombs!"

Down below in the ship's bunker, the Reaper's slave girls were strapped up tight in chairs that were bolted to the floor. It was the only thing that kept them from being thrown about by the waves that were rocking the ship.

"I think I'm going to be sick!"

"This is why I hate the ocean!"

Lilly couldn't believe she had once dreamed about a quiet life back on her home island. She had long since grown accustomed to the sound of banging footsteps, the splintering of wood, the roar of cannons, the clanging of metal; but she still hated listening to these noises in-between sessions with her master as much as the other slaves.

"Is this all my life is ever going to be?"

"Damage report!" yelled Nami.

"We're still sailing, but I think we just lost half our cannons!"

"When I get my hands on that guy I'm going to kill him!"

"Franky, concentrate on fixing the engine!"

Usopp took aim and shot a fire bird at the Reaper, but he just sidestepped and it struck one of his subordinates instead.

"Damn it!"

"Just be glad he can't charge over and destroy your jewels this time."

The Reaper pointed his sword at the Sunny, just like that two more shots were fired from the eyes of the figurehead, but this time the shots exploded in midair.

"Take cover!"

Dozens of tiny metal fragments dug into the deck and hull of the Sunny. Nami, Chopper, and Brook were all unscathed, but Usopp had a large shard sticking out of his shoulder.

"Why is it always me?!"

"Don't rip it out, you'll only bleed faster!" said Chopper.

Back on the Revenge, the Reaper ordered a ceasefire.

"What is it sir?"

"I just remembered that there are two lovely young women onboard that ship. We're changing tactics. Prepare the spears."

Two compartments on the bow of the ship opened up to reveal two huge spiked spears. The Revenge immediately began to pick up speed.

"Hard to port and do a Chicken Voyage! They're going to ram us! Ussop, get to the Gaon cannon!"

"Why?!"

"Just do it!"

Chopper hugged the ship's mast.

"Come on Sunny; show us what you've got!"

The Revenge was coming up fast, when suddenly the Sunny shot backwards and evaded it. The only problem was that they now had sixteen cannons pointed at the bow of the ship.

"What the hell are you guys doing up there?!" bellowed Zoro.

"Attention, assholes!" said the Reaper over a transponder "Surrender immediately and only some of you will die! Refuse and you'll all be blown out of the water!"

"The guy really knows how to motivate you, doesn't he?" said Brook.

"Usopp, would you care to deliver our rebuttal?"

"Oh yeah!"

Fortunately for the Straw Hats, when the Reaper sabotaged the ship he had only made it so they couldn't make a quick getaway. He hadn't successfully disabled all their weapons.

"Fire!"

"Take that you creepy… person!"

Vivi's friends weren't out of this just yet, but from the looks of things neither was the Reaper. She only prayed that Luffy was still alive. With all her heart she wished there was something she could do to help him, but he and the others were far off in the New World. To others they were just another band of pirates hell-bent on finding the legendary treasure of One Piece, but she would always remember them as the brave people who saved her country, and as her friends.

The Gaon Cannon severely damaged the Revenge's starboard side, taking out most of the cannons, but Reaper designed the ship to take a beating.

"You do realize how many barrels of cola that uses!" said Franky.

"Chopper, get down there and refill the barrels, we're going to need them if Franky can get the engines going again."

The Reaper was really becoming annoyed. Not only had Monkey D. Luffy managed to get one lucky shot at him, but now his very expensive ship had been damaged.

"Hard to starboard! Prepare the laser!"

"Hard to starboard! Chicken Voyage!"

The Sunny barely dodged another shot from the Revenge's laser; the Marines that were onboard took out their rifles and started to open fire.

"We could really use Robin right now!"

"No good, she's still out cold! And Luffy isn't back to a hundred percent either!"

Nami was about to take her Clima-tact and attempt to blast the Marines with some lightning, but then she saw something on the side of the ship.

"Oh no…"

"Don't tell me…" said Usopp poking his head out "We're about to get hit by a huge tidal wave, aren't we?"

"Franky! Is it working yet?!"

"Ask me again in a couple minutes!"

"We might not have a couple minutes!"

Nami could see that they had two choices: continue to take a beating from the Revenge, or risk the wave.

"Everyone grab onto something! We're going to have to try and ride this wave!"

"Are you insane?!"

"It's no crazier than the stuff we usually do, and they'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?"

The Sunny slowly made its way towards the oncoming wave.

"Are they nuts?!"

"Sir, what are your orders?!"

If the Straw Hats were killed by a tidal wave the World Nobles would probably use it as an excuse to not pay the Reaper his bounty, but if he pursued them then odds are he wouldn't live to collect. He cursed his inability to effectively utilize his devil fruit power in situations like this.

"Cut the transmissions! Break off pursuit!"

It didn't matter if the World Nobles saw what happened next or not, the Reaper knew that sooner or later he was going to end up with a very big headache.

"Look at the size of this wave!" exclaimed Brook "I can hardly believe my eyes! Even though I don't have eyes… YOHOHOHOHO!"

"Now is not the time!"

The Sunny was slowly beginning to climb the wave.

"Franky…"

"Just a minute…"

"Franky, we are going to die!" yelled Usopp.

The Sunny was nearly at the top. It would have capsized by now if not for Nami's instructions.

"That's it! Punch it guys! SUPER Coup De Burst!"

From the top of the wave the Sunny soared off into the horizon. For a moment the Reaper just stood there against the deck's railings staring out at the wave as it came crashing down.

"Tell me no one saw that…"

"All the transponder snails were terminated sir."

"Good."

It took no time at all for one of the unfortunate marines standing next to the Reaper to realize that one of his limbs was missing.

"MY ARM!" he screamed.

"Be thankful it's not your neck." said the Reaper sheathing his sword "Set course for the nearest port so we can make repairs. I'm going to my quarters… Disturb me, I kill you."

"When did he draw his sword?" said one of the marines.

As soon as the Reaper was inside his quarters he picked up the transponder snail that connected him to his slave girls.

"EVERYONE GET IN HERE, NOW!"

All of the Reaper's slaves were quickly inside.

"Take it off, now… If you do not abide to my commands for the foreseeable future… you will take turns receiving the most unpleasant beatings of your lives, before being locked in a box filled with worms and rats… Is that in any way unclear?"

All the girls immediately undressed.

"Good answer."

**(To be continued)**

**The Straw Hats find refuge on a small island where they can recover from the vicious battle and try to figure things out.**

**Next time in Chapter 11: Picking up the pieces**


	11. Picking up the Pieces

As soon as the Sunny landed, the Straw Hats made a thorough search of the ship. With half their crew down they couldn't risk being trailed by the Reaper. Eventually they found a vivre card concealed in the lower decks. They immediately tossed it overboard.

"Franky, we're going to need to do another Coup De Burst."

"Do you have any idea how much cola we've used already?"

"We can always get more later, but not if the Reaper finds us."

After the second Coupe De Burst, Robin finally woke up.

"Uh… what happened?"

"We just barely escaped the Reaper."

"Is everyone alright?"

"Everyone's got a lot of cuts and bruises, Sanji's leg was broken, Zoro lost a ton of blood, and Luffy got stabbed, but that's it." said Chopper.

"We need to head for land, somewhere quiet where we can repair the Sunny."

Everyone was very quiet as Nami guided the Sunny to a steady needle on the log pose. Luffy spent the entire time sitting on the ship's figurehead staring out at the sea. Luffy and his friends trained for two years before coming to the New World. They had battled many tough opponents since they reunited at Sabaody Archipelago, but this was the first time Luffy had faced an opponent that he just couldn't find a way to beat.

"_I have to find a way to beat this guy… Who knows how many others there are out there that are just like him… I need to be able to protect my crew."_

The only way the Reaper would have been able to do what he did would be if there was a tremendous difference between his haki and Luffy's, or his devil fruit power somehow enabled him to dodge and or block just about everything that was thrown at him. Luffy knew it couldn't be the first possibility, he could tell when he fought the Reaper that he was a little bit stronger than he was, but he wasn't that much stronger. Unfortunately knowledge of existing devil fruit powers wasn't his area of expertise.

"Land ho!"

The Sunny had come to a small island. Franky dropped anchor in the island's bay and Luffy went out to scout the island.

"We're alone."  
"Safaia, I hate to ask this, but could you use your powers to heal Sanji's leg?" asked Nami.

"I can try, but usually I just heal my own minor cuts and bruises when no one is looking. I'm not used to healing an entire broken leg."

"Try it. If there's someone like that after us we can't afford to wait six weeks or so for his leg to heal on its own, besides Luffy's probably starving."

Nami's words finally made Luffy realize just how hungry he was. Usually after a big fight he could eat an entire dinosaur, probably a whole herd, but being beaten by the Reaper must've made him temporarily lose his appetite.

"SANJI! FOOD!"

"What did I tell you?"

Safaia placed her hand over Sanji's broken leg and began to concentrate. When it was over she fell back into Nami's arms.

"Did it work?"

"Well… it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Try standing up."

Sanji slowly put pressure on his leg, but it didn't hurt at all. After removing the makeshift cast, Chopper inspected it thoroughly.

"You're good to go."

As Sanji got started on dinner, the others sat down to talk.

"So at exactly what point did we lose control back there?"

"Lose control? When did we have it?" asked Nami.

"Yeah, I don't know if you were paying attention, but we pretty much got our asses kicked." said Franky.

"The guy said he once took on the three admirals and fought them to a standstill… I believe it." said Brook.

"I don't understand…" said Zoro "I could sense from the moment he ambushed us that he was powerful… but there's no way he could have been that much stronger."

"You felt it too…" said Luffy "His haki isn't so great that he could block and or dodge every single attack that we threw at him… So it must be his devil fruit power."

"Did you happen to figure out what it is?"

"Only that he said it is without rival."

"He didn't transform into any kind of animal, so we can safely rule out any Zoan fruit." said Usopp.

"I don't think he used a Logia fruit either, he didn't demonstrate any of their usual powers, like intangibility."

"Unless his powers are similar to Black Beard's."

"So what we need to do is see if there are any known Logia or Paramecia fruits that would enable someone to do what the Reaper did. If we know what his power is, then we might find a way to beat him." said Robin.

"I could just shoot him with Sea-prism cuffs." said Usopp.

"And how are you going to get him to stand still long enough for you to do that?"

Franky was spending all his time repairing the Sunny. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all spent their time preparing for what they knew was an inevitable rematch.

"Is he freaking insane?!" asked Safaia, who had just witnessed Zoro lifting an ungodly amount of weight.

"All these guys are nuts. But that's one of the reasons we've made it this far into the Grand Line." said Nami.

Robin had her nose in a book as usual.

"_According to Luffy, the Reaper said that the World Government tried to get their hands on this devil fruit, and probably would have sealed it in a Sea-Prism stone vault deep beneath the sea because they feared it so."_

Fleet Admiral Sakazuki could control magma, Admiral Borsalino's powers were based on light, and Kuzan could control ice.

"_What kind of power could possibly make the World Government afraid when they had people like this at their disposal?"_

Meanwhile, Charon's Revenge had dropped anchor and was also being repaired. The Reaper was in his quarters watching three of his slaves have an orgy, all the while he had Lily under his arm. Felicity and Kimmi had to keep kissing Crystal's face to hide the fact that she was crying, they knew what their master would do to her if he noticed. All the while someone kept knocking on the door. The Reaper finally had enough and ordered the girls to hide behind the bookcase while he dealt with this. He opened the door and held his sword to Marine's throat.

"What is it that could possibly be so important that you think you can disturb me?"

"Sir… we've been receiving word from Navy HQ and the World Nobles themselves."

"I don't need you to tell me that those spoiled rich lard bags are blowing veins because the Straw Hats escaped. Tell them Monkey D. Luffy will be dead within the agreed parameters, and then I will return for my payment. Now tell me what the hell the Navy wants."

"Well… when you destroyed Herpeto Island there were at least four dozen civilian casualties, even more are still listed as missing."

"I'm in the employ of the World Nobles; I can get away with it. Besides, those people probably never would have done anything meaningful with their lives anyway."

"Sir, they're also requesting that you take Nico Robin and Cyborg Franky alive."

"They can do whatever they want with the tin toy, but I'm keeping the woman."

"Sir…"

"I'm keeping the woman… both of them."

"Understood sir…"

"While you're here… how long is it going to take to have the ship repaired?"

"Uh… how long would you like it to take sir?"

"How long will it take?"

"At this rate… if we speed things up… I'm sure we can have it done within forty eight hours…"

"Mmm… I guess that's sufficient."

The Marine breathed a sigh of relief.

"One more thing…"

The Marine felt the blade of the Reaper's sword against his throat.

"Sir?"

"Tell your friends that if any of you disturb me again, I will see to it that your death's are slow, public, and require at least nine different coffins, and I'll make their entire family watch it, because I just don't give a damn! If you don't believe me, ask your friend with the one arm… Is that in any way unclear?"

"Yes sir… I mean, NO SIR!"

"_There he goes again."_

"Just get back to work before I have a stroke."

"Yes sir!"

**(To be continued)**

**With the Sunny repaired and the entire crew back on their feet, the Straw Hat's resume their search for the lost treasure of Black Hook Bart, while the rest of the world still waits for news of Luffy's fate.**

**Next time in Chapter 12: Arrival on Dead Man's Rock**


	12. Arrival on Dead Man's Rock

The Island of Women was in complete disarray. After seeing her beloved Luffy stabbed in the chest by the Golden Reaper, Pirate Empress Boa Hancock fainted. It had been over a week since then and she still hadn't woken up. Luffy managed to escape the Reaper's grasp, but the last thing any of the Island's inhabitants saw was the Thousand Sunny being pursued by Charon's Revenge until it came into the path of a huge tidal wave. Ever since then the entire island, along with countless others across the sea, waited anxiously for the news to arrive, and hoped it would tell them what had become of the Straw Hats.

"There's still no news of Luffy or his crew."

"Then he's not dead." said Nyon "If he was then the World Nobles would make sure the whole world knew about it."

"What about big sister?"

"I fear she won't come out of this comatose state until she sees or hears solid proof that Luffy is alive."

Luffy and his friends remained on the island undisturbed for five days before continuing their journey to Dead Man's Rock. The fight and escape from the Reaper had driven them way off course. They had been sailing nonstop for nearly a week, so far they had made the journey without incident, and they hoped it would stay that way, for they still hadn't been able to solve the secret of the Reaper's power, and they had a feeling that the moment anyone in the Navy or the World Government learned their exact location the Reaper wouldn't be far behind.

"I've got it!" said Usopp "You said it would be impossible for him to dodge or block all our attacks unless his haki was unbelievably powerful, so there's only one logical explanation… he's psychic!"

"Really?!" said Chooper.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Luffy "That means he can see the future!"

"Try again…" said Sanji "There isn't a devil fruit that makes you psychic."

"Wait a minute… If the World Government and the Navy were so scared of this thing that they would sink it in the ocean in a sea-prism stone vault … wouldn't it make sense if they erased any record of it's existence?" said Nami.

"It makes sense… We know the lengths they'll go to just to make sure the Ancient Weapons remain lost or that the void century remains a secret." replied Robin.

"So basically we're going to have to find out what the Reaper's power is the hard way." said Zoro.

"Pretty much."

Despite their best efforts, Luffy and friends couldn't think of a single devil fruit that would let the Reaper do what he did. Nami tried to think about the clue that was written on Safaia's amulet.

**Dead men tell no tales, but they are not blind. On the island of the dead, seek the black skull and its third eye will reveal the next clue.**

"Safaia, do you have any idea what the clue means?"

"Not really, I've never actually been to Dead Man's Rock. Most people on my island try to avoid the place."

"But isn't it where Black Hook Bart supposedly buried his treasure?"

"Yes, but even after all these years no one has been able to find it."

"They didn't have your amulet."

"It's not just that. Many pirates and adventurers have gone to that island and have never returned. We haven't been visited by pirates in years because everyone thinks the island is haunted."

"Haunted?!" exclaimed Usopp, Chopper, and Brook.

"Wait, I think I know this story." said Robin "You're talking about the Headless Swordsman, right?"

"The what?"

"Brook, can you provide us with some appropriate music?"

"I think I can manage that."

Robin used her powers to dim the lights.

"As you all know, Black Hook Bart and his crew weren't like us. Every man onboard the Morning Star would have killed his mate for a bag of bellies or a scrap of gold. Black Hook Bart stored all his hoarded treasure on what is now Dead Man's Rock, but only he knew its exact location. When he refused to share that information his treacherous first mate finally made his move and a fierce fight broke out between them. Both combatants were pushed far beyond their limits, but in the end Black Hook Bart succeeded by cutting off his first mate's head, but in his mind this wasn't punishment enough. By using his knowledge of the arcane arts he placed a terrible curse upon his late crew member. From that day forward his restless soul would be tasked with guarding the treasure for all eternity. Many pirates have ventured to Dead Man's Rock in search of Black Hook Bart's treasure, but none have ever returned, and many say it was because they had fallen prey to… THE HEADLESS SWORDSMAN!"

Chopper was hiding under the table with his teeth chattering like an earthquake, and Usopp was all the way up in the crow's nest.

"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you."

"There's a headless swordsman guarding the treasure?!" exclaimed Luffy "This is going to be awesome!"

"You can't be serious." said Nami "You're saying Black Hook Bart could do something like that."

"You know how he got his hook? The stories say he used it to create that amulet."

"What?!" exclaimed everyone.

"That's the toll he paid to create it. Like I said, for some reason he always considered it to be his lucky charm."

The next morning Nami called the others on deck.

"What is it?"

"Look at the paper, it's Vivi!"

There was an article in the paper talking about Vivi addressing the people of Alabasta after another pirate attack. But what Luffy and the others noticed that she was wearing the same symbol on her arm that they had been wearing when they had helped save her kingdom from Crocodile.

"She must've seen the Reaper's broadcast… She must've been worried about us."

"I wish I could have been around with guys for that adventure." said Brook "I would have loved to have seen her panties."

Nami punched Brook into the wall.

"You are such an asshole!"

The Sunny sailed until the sun went down. The moon was full that night, and in it's light the Straw Hats saw an island in the distance.

"It's my home!" exclaimed Safaia.

"And I take it that little spot over there is Dead Man's Rock?"

"Yes it is."

"Alright! Let's find us some treasure!" said Luffy.

"Be on your guard, I doubt they call it Dead Man's Rock for nothing."

**(To be continued)**

**As the Straw Hats search for Black Hook Bart's treasure, they encounter their first big obstacle, meanwhile the Navy has discovered their location and the Reaper is in hot pursuit.**

**Next time in Chapter 13: Zoro vs. The Headless Swordsman**


	13. Zoro vs The Headless Swordsman

**(The Headless Swordsman illustration now on deviantart)**

The Reaper was about to enjoy a session with Lily now that her week had expired, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. He drew his sword, kicked the door open, knocking the unfortunate Marine flat on his back, and placed the blade of the sword over his heart.

"You have ten words to convince me why I should let you live."

"The Staw Hats have been sighted on Dead Man's Rock!"

"Lily, how many words was that?"

"Uh… That was ten words exactly master."

The Reaper counted on his fingers.

"You got lucky kid. Tell the rest of the crew to set sail for Dead Man's Rock at full speed, fire the new engines. And don't disturb me until we get there, or else."

"Right away sir!"

"Dead Man's Rock… Sounds like the Straw Hats are going after the legendary treasure of Black Hook Bart. If they find it then it will make a nice bonus for me."

"Who's Black Hook Bart?"

"My dear Lily, Black Hook Bart was considered by many to be the strongest pirate whoever lived, until Gold Roger conquered the Grand Line. But unlike the Pirate King, Black Hook Bart was killed by a woman while he slept. It's funny how even the mightiest of warriors can sometimes be slain by a single blade to the chest."

"It's never worked on you my master."

Many of the Reaper's servant girls had tried to kill him in the past, but he always seemed to know when they were about to strike, and the unfortunate slave would be subjected to a very brutal hazing afterwards.

"That my dear is because I possess a power that is as strong as death, a power that enabled me to take on the three admirals and come out unscathed, and will make me the man who killed the Pirate King."

Lily remembered her master's fight against the three admirals. She had foolishly hoped that they would kill him, but even the Navy's best couldn't beat him. Admiral Borsalino could move at the speed of light, but the Reaper was always one step ahead of him.

"_What's faster than light?"_

Meanwhile, the Thousand Sunny had just dropped anchor on the beach of Dead Man's Rock. Franky was checking to see if the ship had been damaged by any of the rocks that surrounded the island.

"Alright, the Sunny is just Super!"

The island was covered in thick dark vegetation and giant rock formations, all glowing in the moonlight. Everything was uncomfortably silent, even the tide, and there was a strange chill in the air.

"Hurry up guys! Let's go find the treasure!" said Luffy.

"Uh… couldn't we just wait till morning before we look for the treasure?" asked Chopper.

"No, someone on Safaia's island might have seen us arrive. If we wait till morning the entire island could be surrounded by Marines, or worse the Reaper." said Nami "This island is pretty big, we can cover more ground if we split up."

"Split up on a haunted island?!" exclaimed Usopp "NO WAY! Don't you read scary stories! The boogey man always strikes when no one can hear you scream! Forget that one rule and you're toast."

"If you're going to be so chicken about it, then we'll split up into pairs." said Zoro.

"Great! I go with Nami!" said Sanji.

"I'll… I'll stay here with Franky and watch the ship." said Usopp.

"I think I'll stay too." said Brook.

"Fine, the rest of us will draw lots for partners."

Before anyone drew any lots, Nami had to properly explain the process to Luffy, who once again thought that whoever drew the most was the winner.

"The two shortest together, the next two shortest together, and the two longest together. Safaia, you can join whoever you want."

Safaia didn't want to be parted from her engagement gift, and Nami had a feeling they were going to need the amulet before the night was out. In the end the pairs were Chopper and Robin, Luffy and Nami, and Zoro and Sanji. Safaia opted to go with Robin and Chopper, since Robin was the only one who could read the markings on her amulet.

"Why do I get stuck with moss head?!" said Sanji.

"Why do I get stuck with ashtray?!" said Zoro.

"Will you two put a lid on it? Remember, we're looking for a black skull. If you think you've found it send out a signal. If anything bad happens just scream."

"Alright! Let's go find some treasure!" said Luffy already running off into the jungle.

As they made their way across the island, almost everyone was wondering what kinds of tricks and traps Black Hook Bart may have left in place to guard his hoarded gold. The few adventurers that came to this island, survived, and left empty handed may have exaggerated stories about the Headless Swordsman, but there was no doubt that Black Hook Bart wouldn't have left his treasure unprotected.

"Some people don't even make it to the island. We call the surrounding area the graveyard of ships. Many have been run aground by the rocks."

"Fascinating."

Robin saw that Chopper was jumping at every single noise, so she used her powers to tickle him.

"Stop it!" he laughed "Don't tickle me!"

Just then Chopper noticed something behind some nearby bushes.

"Look! Over there!"

Chopper, Robin, and Safaia had stumbled on a small mountain of skeletons. Unfortunately none of the skulls were black. When Chopper got a good look at them he looked even more scared than he was before.

"These guys were beheaded…"

Just then a whole lot of bats came flying out of the trees. Being an animal Chopper could understand what they were trying to say as they screeched.

"Beware!"

Back on the Sunny Usopp was also jumping at every noise.

"It's the Headless Swordsman!"

"Don't be silly." said Franky "Any halfwit can tell the difference between a wolf howling and a Headless Swordsman."

Suddenly the whole island echoed with a maniacal laugh.

"Whereas that is clearly a Headless Swordsman!"

"Hmm… Headless Swordsman… There's a song in there somewhere." said Brook messing with his violin "With a whoosh whoosh and a clangity clang, he's out looking for a head to… Nah, that doesn't work. I'll keep trying."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Well, Robin said the Headless Swordsman's task is guarding the treasure. Technically we're not even on the island; we're on a ship that's anchored near the island."

"Oh… and if anything bad happens we can just Coup De Burst and get out of here."

Luffy and Nami were searching another corner of the island for anything out of the ordinary. The others may have been freaked by the laugh they heard, but Nami was with Luffy. Not only was he the strongest member of the crew, he had cheated death more times than she cared to count.

"Do you see anything that looks like a black skull?"

"Let me check… Gum-Gum Giraffe!"

Luffy threw his head upwards and his neck stretched high into the air.

"I can't see a black skull, the others, or any sign of the Headless Swordsman."

"Forget ghosts, let's just find the treasure and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

"You're telling me."

With ability to use haki, Luffy was a lot more tuned to his surroundings than Nami was, and he could tell that something wasn't quite right with this island.

"We're not alone."

"Don't tell me it's the Reaper."

"No, it's not him. The Reaper has a very powerful aura… this feels… weird… in a bad way."

"I wasn't aware that there was a good kind of weird."

"What's the time?"

"Don't worry about the time, worry about finding the treasure."

"Bad things happen during the witching hour, what's the time?"

"I don't know; I'm not wearing a watch."

"Me neither."

"Maybe Franky has clock inside him somewhere, we can ask him later."

"Wait… over there!"

Without another word Luffy sprang into action.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Luffy's eyes must've been playing tricks on him, but he hadn't realized it yet.

"Captain…" said Nami tapping him on the shoulder "You're beating up a tree."

Luffy finally stopped and looked at his target.

"Yes, I guess I am."

Chopper had long since switched to his Kung-Fu point, but that didn't put him any more at ease. Just then the sky grew darker. Robin, Chopper, and Safaia all looked up and saw that the moon was changing.

"It's a lunar eclipse!"

"You know… at home it's an omen of death."

"Calm down." said Robin "We've been here for nearly twenty minutes and we haven't seen anything of a ghostly swordsman."

"What's the time?" asked Chopper.

"I don't know, I don't have a watch."

"Just a second."

Safaia pulled a watch out of her dress.

"Is that gold?"

"I thought so too at first, but it's not."

"Another gift from your husband-to-be?"

"It was a birthday gift. He thinks he's too poor to marry me."

"That's probably why he gave you such a priceless engagement present." said Robin.

"What's the time?!" asked Chopper.

"Calm down, it's… twelve midnight in five seconds."

All three of them jumped at the sound of metal clanging against metal.

"Zoro… is that you?"

They heard it again. Safaia and Robin could both hear the sound of Chopper's heartbeat.

"Guys, if this is a joke it's not funny!" said Robin "You're scaring Chopper."

The clanging continued. Robin zeroed in on the point the noise was coming from, then she used her powers to push aside some foliage. There they saw some rusty old swords tangled in some vines that were being blown against each other by the wind. Then they actually started laughing. Safaia stumbled back a couple steps, and then she felt the ground sink beneath her feet and collapse. She stumbled down a long tunnel and landed flat on her back.

"Ow…"

"Safaia, are you alright?!" asked Chopper.

"I'm fine… just give me a minute."

Safaia used her powers to heal herself. Then she got up and dusted herself off.

"Hold on a sec, I'll get you out." said Robin.

"Wait…"

Safaia looked across the room and saw that there was a large black marble skull against the wall gathering cobwebs.

"I've found it! I found the black skull!"

"You did? That's great!"

"Hold on, I'll signal the others." said Robin "Cien Fluer Big Tree!"

Safaia walked over to the black skull and saw that there was some kind indentation in the forehead. It was the exact same shape as her amulet.

"Robin said that the clue talks about a third eye… I wonder."

Safaia pressed the amulet into the forehead. Suddenly the symbols on the surface began to change.

"Guys! You've got to see this! The amulet is…"

Safaia turned around and found herself face to face with a specter dressed in a gray robe and a purple and white cape that was holding two swords in a reverse grip fashion, and to top it all off he had no head. Instead there was a pair of glowing purple eyes in the center of a bright blue ball of fire.

"Safaia? What is it?"

She opened her mouth to scream, but no noise came out. She backed against the wall and he held his swords up like they were a pair of scissors. Her heart was like a drum and she felt so cold despite the fact that she was sweating.

"_No, this can't be it… I don't want to die!"_

He was right on top of her now, and his eyes narrowed. Safaia closed her eyes and tried to think of her fiancé.

"_I'm so sorry… I love you."_

She waited for it to come, but it didn't. See opened her eyes and saw that he was staring at her chest; actually he was staring at the amulet. Just like that he sheathed his swords, turned away, and vanished without a trace.

Luffy and the others quickly arrived on the spot after seeing Robin's signal.

"Have you found it?"

"Safaia claims she found it."

When Robin used her powers to pull Safaia out of the hole, they saw that she was had gone very pale and was breathing really hard. There were also fresh tears on her face.

"What's wrong Safaia, you look like you've seen a ghost." said Nami.

Safaia pointed at something behind them, and then there was another earsplitting laugh. Luffy and the others turned around, and there he was with both swords drawn.

"IT'S THE HEADLESS SWORDSMAN!" screamed Chopper.

"Oh I get it now." said Luffy "He has no head!"

"Duh."

"I got this one." said Zoro.

"Moss head, how are you supposed to chop a ghost?" asked Sanji.

"Just watch me."

Zoro approached the Headless Swordsman just like he would any other opponent.

"I challenge you to a duel." he said drawing his swords.

The Headless Swordsman made some kind of gesture with his swords, apparently accepting the challenge.

"Two swords in a reverse grip fashion… highly unorthodox… then again so is my style… this ought to be interesting."

Zoro waited for the Headless Swordsman to make the first move. After about a minute of the two just staring each other down, the Swordsman leapt up high into the air, much higher than was humanly possible.

"Is that supposed to scare me?"

The Swordsman swooped down and struck at Zoro with the force of a whirlwind.

"Okay, now I'm impressed, not really."

Zoro broke the lock on their blades and the two began to parry with each other.

"Three Swords Style… Dragon Twister!"

Despite the ferocity of Zoro's attack, the Headless Swordsman stood his ground.

"Obviously he didn't get to be Black Hook Bart's first mate for nothing."

"Demon Crow Hunt!"

Anyone else would have been overwhelmed by this attack, but the swordsman blocked every blow, then he charged forward and parried with Zoro until he scored a minute wound across Zoro's shoulder.

"You're good… but not as good as me. Bull Demon Courageous Talons!"

Zoro lunged forward and struck the swordsman's blades with such impact that he knocked him flat on his behind. Zoro attempted to strike him, but the swordsman raised his swords and blocked it, then he kicked Zoro off of him and back flipped back onto his feet. Zoro was met with a barrage of blows that he blocked or dodged.

"One Gorilla… Two Gorilla… Two Arm Strength Slash!"

Zoro's attack took the swordsman's arm off, but immediately dematerialized and he grew a new one.

"Like I said, how are you supposed to kill a ghost?" asked Sanji.

"You are a worthy opponent." said Zoro "This could conceivably go on forever, unfortunately my friends and I don't have forever. Nine Swords Style… Demon Nine Flashes!"

Zoro's attack lasted a whole thirty seconds. Normally it wouldn't last that long, but the Headless Swordsman wasn't like any enemy he had faced before. When it was done Zoro and the Swordsman just stood still for a moment, then the swordsman collapsed. Before anyone could move the swordsman spoke. His voice was eerie and cold, little more than a whisper.

"I wanted Bart's gold, so I got to spend all this time guarding it from someone else. Hoarded gold doesn't do you any good when you're dead… Remember that."

"How do you talk without a mouth?" asked Nami.

Without warning the swordsman's body vaporized before their eyes. For a moment everyone just stood there staring with disbelief, then Zoro sheathed his swords.

"Find peace."

**(To be continued)**

**The Straw Hats have overcome their first obstacle, but Black Hook Bart has left several more safeguards to protect his gold. Meanwhile the Reaper's creeps ever closer, Luffy and friends still have no idea what his power is, but maybe the key to overcoming it is right under their noses.**

**Next time in Chapter 14: Attack of the Turtles**


	14. Attack of the Turtles

The marines of G-5 were all silently complaining that they had been woken up in the middle of the night, they didn't want their petty complaints to be heard when Vice Admiral Smoker was in earshot.

"What's the situation sir?" asked Tashigi coming on deck.

"Word just went out about twenty minutes ago that the Straw Hat's ship was seen en route to Dead Man's Rock. Once again all marines in the vicinity have been ordered to stand down, but the Reaper has already screwed up once, we're going to be there if he does it again."

"Sir, wouldn't that be defying direct orders from the World Nobles?"

"Our orders are not to interfere with the Reaper; they don't say anything about not stopping the Straw Hats if the Reaper screws up again."

"I see… But why are the Straw Hats on Dead Man's Rock?"

"There's only one reason… They must be after the lost treasure of Black Hook Bart."

"But didn't the Reaper seriously injure all their best fighters during their last encounter; we don't even know if Monkey D. Luffy is still alive."

"He's alive… I can feel it."

It took Safaia a few minutes to calm down after the Headless Swordsman disappeared.

"Okay, now what were you going to tell us?" asked Nami.

"I placed the amulet on the skull's forehead, and then suddenly the symbols on the surface changed."

"Let me see."

It took Robin a minute to translate.

"The Black Skull is looking at your goal. Proceed in its line of sight until you come to the quarry. Ask the mermaid and she'll give you the next clue, but beware of her pets."

"Mermaids?!" exclaimed Sanji "That's all I needed to hear!"

"Why do I get the feeling the clue isn't talking about a real mermaid?" said Zorro.

"No one asked your opinion marimo!"

"Come on guys! Let's go find the treasure!"

"Luffy's right, we don't have all night. Let's just find the treasure and get out of here."

As they made their way across the island, Luffy wondered what else Black Hook Bart may have left behind to protect the treasure.

"Hello!"

Luffy's shout echoed across the island, but there was no answer.

"Hello! Hello!"

There was still no answer.

"I guess there's no one else. What do you think these pets are going to be?"

"It can't be any worse than a headless ghost." said Nami.

"That was too scary!" said Chopper.

Back out at sea, The Reaper had just finished up his "session" with Lily, and he was getting really impatient.

"Do we have an ETA?"

"We'll be there soon sir."

"How long is soon?"

"Well… soon meaning… well… sooner than later."

"Don't tell me we're lost."

"Negative sir! We're right on course, it's… just… taking a little longer than expected."

"If I have to come up there…"

"Don't worry sir! We'll get you to Dead Man's Rock faster than you can say… One Piece."

"One Piece, just get me there before I start chopping heads."

"Yes sir!"

The Reaper looked down at Lily, who had passed out during their session. She had been his slave the longest, but apparently that hadn't made her any more used to the things he did to her, then again that was partially because he always found ways to keep things interesting. He traced his icy cold hand down her bare skin.

"Lily… Lily my dear…"

When he didn't get a response out of her he squeezed one of her breasts using just a little exertion of his haki. She woke up on the spot.

"Master! I'm so sorry, I…"

"That will be all for today, you can go."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"You might want to take a shower."

Lily quickly pulled on her robe and was out of the room. The Reaper didn't brand his slaves like the World Nobles, but he certainly left his mark on them. She could wash his fluids from her skin and hair, but she couldn't erase the things that he had done to her and the others over the years. All she ever wanted to do was kill him, but she didn't have any devil fruit powers or haki, and even the three admirals had failed to kill him.

"What does it take to stop him? I trade all the gold on the sea for that knowledge."

Back on Dead Man's Rock Luffy and the others finally reached the quarry after a very long climb up a steep hill. What the clue failed to mention was that the quarry was at least two thousand feet deep, and that there were a lot of jagged rocks at the bottom.

"I don't see any mermaids." said Nami.

"Maybe they're in the water?"

"Wait a minute, what's that?"

Safaia was pointing at a rock down in the quarry that almost looked like a person.

"Let me take a look."

Luffy threw his head downward and stretched out his neck until he was right on top of the rock. The rock was carved to look just like a mermaid. Luffy retracted his head and told the others.

"Do you think that's what the clue means?"

"Aw man…" said Sanji.

"Don't worry eyebrows; there'll be plenty of other girls to shoot you down."

"You shut your damn mouth!"

"So how exactly is a statue supposed to tell us the next clue?" asked Zoro.

"Luffy, was there a marking on the statue shaped like my amulet?"

Luffy stretched out his neck again to take another look.

"Yes, right beneath the mermaid."

"Place the amulet there; it should give us the next clue."

Luffy took the amulet in his hand and stretched out his arm, but before he could reach the statue something leapt out of the water and bit him.

"I think we just found the mermaid's pets." said Robin.

The jagged rocks at the bottom of the quarry turned out to be spikes on the shells of giant turtles that had been sleeping down in the water, and Luffy had just learned the hard way that they had really sharp teeth.

"Oh crap! I dropped the thing!"

"You did what?!"

"Someone has to go down there and get the amulet!"

"I'll do it, I'm the best swimmer." said Sanji "Looks like we're having turtle soup for dinner."

"Just hurry up and get it done."

"Anything for you Nami dearest!"

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all jumped down into the quarry, but they hadn't made it a few feet in when one of the turtles opened its mouth and shot a huge stream of fire at them.

"I'm so going to enjoy this." said Zoro drawing his swords.

"First a headless sword wielding ghost and now giant fire breathing turtles… Just another night in the New World." said Nami.

While Luffy and Zoro occupied themselves with the turtles above the water, Sanji dove below. The moonlight was only providing a little light beneath the surface. Finding Safaia's amulet wasn't going to be easy, but with three very beautiful women waiting for him Sanji would do it blindfolded and without his hands. Suddenly a huge turtle came swimming at him.

"_Soup's on!" _

Sanji kicked the turtle right in its nose and sent it flying in the opposite direction.

"_Normally I'd love kicking the hell out of a bunch of giant turtles, but I'm on mission for three very lovely ladies."_

Luffy immediately punched the nearest turtle with his Gum-Gum Pistol, but it didn't even put a dent in the creature's shell.

"Time to take it up a notch. Armament Hardening: Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

This time Luffy cracked the creature's shell before he sent it flying into the quarry's wall.

"Makes you wonder how Black Hook Bart ever managed to set all this up." said Zoro fending off five turtles at once.

"He was once considered to be the toughest pirate on the seas."

"Good point. Great Dragon Twister!"

Zoro sent the five turtles he was fighting flying in a whirlwind, but six more emerged from the water and started to shoot at them.

"Keep coming I can do this all night."

"Thunder Breed Tempo!"

Lighting rained down on the lake striking all the turtles simultaneously.

"I told you, we don't have all night." said Nami.

"Party pooper." said Luffy.

At that moment Sanji came leaping out of the water.

"Got it!"

**(To be continued)**

**The turtles were just a warm up. Luffy and friends continue to follow the clues that Black Hook Bart left behind, until they come to the most frightening of the treasure's guardians. Meanwhile the Reaper closes in for the kill.**

**Next time in Chapter 15: The Terror of the Giga Golem**


	15. Terror of the Giga Golem

Pirate Empress Boa Hancock had been lying in a comatose state since the night she saw her beloved Luffy run through with the Reaper's sword. The entire population of the Island of Women was beginning to fear the worst. The only thing that kept her from slipping into nothingness was a very faint feeling that Luffy was still alive. She had previously seen him grievously wounded by the now Fleet Admiral during the Battle at Marineford; surely there was a way he could survived again, but that feeling was getting fainter and fainter every day.

"_My Luffy where are you? My Pirate King, my husband… no not my husband… Oh what a cruel meaningless jest are formalities! I don't want to live in a world without you!"_

Boa Hancock was a strong and proud woman, who happily looked down on others and saw men as despicable creatures, but two years ago Monkey D. Luffy had done the impossible and made her fall for one, and she wouldn't be well again until she knew for a fact that he was alive.

With the giant turtles subdued, Sanji placed the amulet in the slot at the base of the mermaid statue. The symbols on the surface immediately began to change like magic.

"Looks like we're back in business."

"Please try not to lose it again." said Safaia.

"Then you better make sure it stays in your hands." said Nami "I've learned not to trust these guys with a single belly."

"What's the clue Robin?" asked Chopper.

Robin looked over the amulet to translate the symbols.

"The Mermaid shows the way. Follow her directions until you come to the place where the dead men hang high, but beware the many dangers along the way."

"What do they mean follow her directions? She's a statue." said Zoro.

"Obviously there's more to the statue."

"I'll take a look at it."

It only took Robin a minute to find the solution.

"She's lying on her side. Both her hands are on the ground, but on the right hand only her index finger is extended. In short, we go that way."

Back on the Sunny, while Franky was down in his workshop making modifications to himself, Usopp and Brook stood guard on the deck. Usopp scanned the dark horizon for any signs of life, but was yet to see anything out of the ordinary.

"One o'clock and all's well!"

Brook was sitting nearby messing with his violin as usual.

"Writing a new song Brook?"

"Yes, I'm thinking of calling it, The Coming of the Pirate King."

If it wasn't for Luffy, Usopp would have never come as far as he had towards his goal of becoming a brave warrior of the sea. He had done things he didn't even think he was capable of, and had lost count of how many times he thought he and the others were going to die. He was sure one day Luffy was going to become the Pirate King, but not if they kept running into people like the Reaper.

Luffy charged across the island in the direction Robin had said until he suddenly felt his foot sink into the ground.

"That can't be good."

Luffy stretched his arms and legs out and grabbed onto some nearby trees just in time to avoid plummeting into a huge hole with razor sharp spikes at the bottom.

"The clue did mention that there would be traps along the path."

Luffy and the others encountered several more traps as they made their way. Halfway along they barely avoided getting chopped up by half a dozen pendulum blades. Shortly thereafter then they were met by a barrage of poisonous darts fired by some concealed cannons in the trees, but Luffy inflated himself and took every single hit, and his immunity protected him from harm. Finally they came to a place where several skeletons were hanging from the trees.

"Ten bellies says these were other conspirators with the Headless Swordsman." said Robin.

"Nevermind that, how do we find the next clue?"

Luffy and the others looked around until they found the slot at the base of the tree from which the skeletons were hanging. They placed Safaia's amulet inside and the symbols changed.

"No more riddles, I'll tell you what you want to know." translated Robin "The treasure… is in the volcano."

"Why does he have to be so cruel?!" asked Chopper.

"You're kidding me!" exclaimed Luffy "He threw all his treasure into the lava!"

"I think he meant he placed the treasure in a secret compartment inside the volcano."

"Oh… that's not a problem."

Luffy and the others spent the better part of the next hour looking for a way into the volcano. Eventually they found a cave entrance behind some foliage on the far side.

"It's hot in there."

"Then this must be it."

"Safaia, I'm probably going to regret asking this but… is this volcano active?" asked Nami.

"According to the elders Mount Hade only erupts once every sixty years, last time it happened I was just a little girl."

"Oh, no worries then."

As they made their way through the cave the temperature slowly rose higher and higher until they came to a river of magma. From there they carefully followed the path to an enormous statue of a dragon.

"Dead end… Now what?" asked Zoro.

Robin picked up a rock and threw it at the wall behind the statue, it sounded hollow.

"This is a door."

"Then let's hurry up and open it! Third Gear!"

Luffy inflated his arm.

"Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!"

Luffy punched the statue with all his might, but he didn't even put a dent in it.

"Let me take a crack at it."

Sanji's efforts were also in vain.

"Nice try eyebrows. Watch this."

Zoro took his swords and slashed at the statue and waited a whole five minutes, but nothing happened.

"Watch what?" asked Sanji.

"I think we've established that we can't force our way in." said Nami.

"First Black Hook Bart writes his clues in a dead language on his amulet, then he leaves a ghost and some fire breathing turtles to guard his treasure before leading any one to survive them through a gauntlet of traps. Now we have an impenetrable door."

"There's a way to open it, what's the point of hoarding all that treasure if you never get to spend any of it?" said Nami.

"My guess is that there's another outlet where the amulet goes, like a keyhole."

They looked all over the statue but didn't find anything.

"Come on, there's got to be something."

Chopper noticed it first because he was standing right underneath Robin.

"There's more to it! There's more to the riddle!"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at the amulet, there are more symbols on the other side!"

Chopper was right; obviously the full message was too big to fit on one side of the amulet.

"Well done Dr. Chopper." said Robin smiling.

"Idiot! Your gratitude doesn't make me the least bit happy!"

"So what does it say?" asked Nami.

"The wise dragon knows all, but even all the knowledge in the world cannot change the fact that his brain is only part of the final puzzle."

"His brain?"

"Luffy, see if there's anything inside."

Luffy stretched out his arm and stuck it up the dragon's nose, he felt around the inside of the head until he felt a small indentation in the middle.

"I think I've got it!"

"Put the amulet up against it."

"And don't lose it this time." said Nami.

When Luffy placed the amulet in the slot he had found the dragon immediately flew up along with the rest of the wall.

"Oh… my… god."

If seven pirates dreamed for seven nights, it would not match the contents of the Straw Hats had entered.

"The lost treasure of Black Hook Bart…"

"And it's all ours!"

"I don't think so…"

Luffy and the others looked up and saw that one of the piles of gold and jewels was moving, and then it stood up. The hulking figure before them was at least three stories high.

"What the hell is that thing?!" exclaimed Nami.

"It's a golem!" said Robin "An animated being created entirely out of inanimate matter!"

"So how the hell do we kill it?" asked Zoro.

"Any way you can."

The golem's body was made entirely out of gold and had huge gemstones all over it. It took one look at Luffy and his friends, and then started shooting lasers out of its eyes.

"It's got lasers?!"

"That's too cool! I want one!" exclaimed Luffy.

"Now isn't the time to be impressed, this walking gold mine is in-between us and our treasure!" said Nami.

"Fair point. Come one guys, let's stomp this thing! Robin, knock him down!"

"You got it."

Robin used her powers to generate a giant pair of hands that she used to trip the golem and make it fall flat on its back.

"Now it's my turn! Gum-Gum Battle Axe!"

Luffy stretched his leg up to the cave's ceiling and brought it crashing down on the golem, he waited a few seconds to see the creature spilt in two, but it didn't happen. Suddenly the golem howled and Luffy and the others were knocked down by a huge shockwave.

"This thing can use haki?!"

"This is gonna be fun." said Zoro.

As the golem got to its feet Zoro charged over and sliced one of its arms off just below the shoulder.

"That's one limb; you've still got three left."

Just then the golem's dismembered limb regenerated.

"What?!"

The golem charged over and attempted to smash Zoro with its fists, but Zoro was much too fast for it and continued his assault, but the golem just kept growing new limbs to replace the ones Zoro cut off.

"How can it do that when its body is made of gold and jewels?!"

"It would seem that Black Hook Bart was even more skilled in the arcane arts than we originally thought. It's really quite amazing what he's done here." said Robin.

"We can reflect on his accomplishments later when we're safely away from this island on our ship full of treasure." said Nami "Take that thing down!"

"What do you think we're trying to do?!" replied Zoro dodging another hit.

"Well… try harder!"

"Not that simple!"

"Okay, this isn't working." said Sanji rubbing out a cigarette "Time for a new approach. One side moss-head."

Sanji charged over, leapt up into the air using his sky-walk, and came down with the attempt to kick the golem in the head, but before he could the creature turned around and blasted him with his lasers.

"Sanji!"

Everyone who wasn't busy fighting rushed to Sanji's aid. Safaia used her powers to heal him.

"Sanji, are you alright?!"

"I'm surrounded by three beautiful women… I must be in heaven."

"He's fine."

"He's hopeless."

"Hopelessly in love Nami dearest!"

For the most part Luffy and the others were able to avoid the golem's attacks, but it wouldn't stay down either. The fight could have conceivably gone on forever.

"What do we have to do to stop this thing?!"

"Wait! I have it!"

Nami and Robin both thought Chopper was going to go to his monster point, but he didn't.

"Brain Point: Scope!"

Chopper carefully scanned the golem's body looking for a weakness. The golem's body was made entirely out of gold and gemstones, but some of the gemstones were much bigger than others.

"Guys! Aim for the gemstones on his shoulders, his chest, and his forehead!"

"Alright! Armament hardening: Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Luffy fired away at the golem's gemstones until they were reduced to dust, then the whole golem collapsed.

"Is it dead?" asked Safaia.

"It's dead enough." said Nami "Well done Chopper, you really saved the day."

"SHUT UP! You're praise means absolutely nothing to me! It doesn't make me happy!"

"Let's hurry up and get the treasure out of here before he decides to pull himself together again." said Sanji.

"You think he will?" asked Luffy "That would be awesome!"

"Why would you want him to?" asked Zoro.

"Are you kidding? He'd make an amazing addition to our crew!"

"Some things never change." said Nami.

**(To be continued)**

**The Strawhats attempt to leave Dead Man's Rock with their newfound fortune and take Safaia home as promised. But before they can leave the Reaper strikes again. He's more powerful than any enemy they have ever faced, but can they find a way to overcome the odds and bring him down?**

**The final showdown begins next time in Chapter 16: For whom the bell tolls**

**(Have you figured out the Reaper's power yet?)**


	16. For Whom the Bell Tolls

The Straw Hats immediately got to work loading the treasure onto the Sunny. Nami was absolutely giddy.

"I look forward to counting every single coin. Put your backs into it boys! We're burning moonlight!"

"Yes Nami dearest! You heard the lovely lady guys! Hussle!" said Sanji hauling a huge sack of treasure across the beach and onto the Sunny's deck.

"Curly eye browed chain smoking brownnose." said Zoro under his breath.

"I'm going to buy so much meat!" said Luffy hauling a really big bag.

"Before we buy anything, we need to take Safaia home."

Just then Luffy felt an all too familiar cold shiver down his spine.

"Uh… guys… I think we're in trouble."

"What are you talking about?" asked Usopp.

"I feel it too." said Zoro.

Without warning several bright lights appeared in the sky, briefly blinding Luffy and his friends.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Dead Man's Rock, it's the New World's Funniest Corporal Punishments and Executions! Tonight's victims, the Straw Hat Pirates!"

Luffy and the others looked up, and to their horror the Reaper was perched up in a nearby tree.

"Where the hell did he come from?!" exclaimed Usopp.

"Well, when an infamous bounty hunter picks up a drunk woman in a bar… Oh you meant how I got here without anyone noticing. Let's just say being able to sneak up on unsuspecting pirates is a big part of what I do."

Sailing up to Dead Man's Rock onboard the Revenge would have attracted far too much attention and the Straw Hats would have bailed. For this reason the Reaper approached the island in a submarine he had purchased for occasions like this, meanwhile the Revenge was anchored a safe distance away awaiting his orders.

"I take it you've found the lost treasure of Black Hook Bart… excellent."

It was then that the Reaper noticed there was one extra head among the Straw Hats.

"Who are you?" he asked looking at Safaia "I don't believe I've seen your face in the wanted posters."

"That's because she's our hostage." said Robin holding Safaia close "We picked her up when we were recovering from our last encounter."

Safaia looked at Robin.

"Play along." she whispered "He's probably broadcasting this, and you don't want the world to know that you've been socializing with infamous pirates."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I think it's best if you don't say anything."

"A lot of good a hostage will do you here." said the Reaper "On the plus side, this means I get to collect the bounties on most of you, Black Hook Bart's treasure, and I get three new servant girls in addition to the five my employers promised me."

"You touch any of these three women and you're a dead man." said Sanji angrily.

"Well if it isn't the person I beat with the least effort. I must say I'm surprised your leg healed so quickly. You must have a very good doctor… I guess I'll just have to kill him first."

Robin moved in front of Chopper as the Reaper jumped down from the tree, the others quickly formed a circle.

"Ah, so you all want a piece of me."

"This is insane!" said Usopp "Last time he kicked our asses without even trying!"

"This time we'll do it together." said Brook "He can't kill all of us. Then again I guess he can't kill all of us anyway since I'm already dead. YOHOHOHOHO!"

"Now is not the time!" said Nami.

"Safaia, the first chance you get, I want you to get onboard the sunny and head down to the docking bay." said Franky "Take either the White Rocking Horse or the Mini Merry and head for your island."

"What about you guys?" she whispered.

"Don't worry about us, after all we're just another band of pirates with a captain hell-bent on becoming the Pirate King." said Nami.

"I guess congratulations are in order." said the Reaper "You're the first group of pirates to live to fight me a second time. But you must've known that you couldn't run from death. Your brother didn't escape it Monkey D. Luffy, neither could the Great Whitebeard… not even Gold Roger himself."

For a moment Luffy was silent.

"You're right… Even the mightiest of pirates can't cheat death. It comes for all of us… But something far worse comes for you Mr. Reaper… I'm sure that when you die no one will mourn you."

The Reaper laughed.

"Mourn me? And who would mourn you? You're nothing but a band of wanted criminals, and a lot of people would love to see you dead. In fact a lot of people are paying to see that. Your predecessors weren't any different."

"Yes we've made plenty of enemies, but we've also made many friends on this journey as well… Gold Roger had his crew… Whitebeard had his… Ace had me and all the other pirates that he called his friends."

"Well don't worry; you can join Gold Roger, Whitebeard, and your big brother… in Hell."

"Chopper, don't bother using your monster point. He's much too fast; you'll only be making yourself a bigger target."

"Okay Luffy."

They waited for the Reaper to make the first move. He drew his sword and began to channel energy, and then he fired a huge crescent shaped bolt that caused Luffy and the others to jump.

"He's trying to separate us, stay together!"

When the smoke cleared the Reaper was nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it, where the hell is he?!" asked Franky.

While the others were looking in all directions; Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji tried to focus.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!"

The Reaper caught Luffy's attack in midair.

"Weapons Left!"

The Reaper leapt high into the air to avoid Franky's attack and attempted to counter with his special pistol, but Franky saw it coming and dodged. Usopp fired several shots into the air, but they all missed.

"Gust Sword!"

Nami's attack blew the Reaper back, but he did some in air backflips and kicked off the side of a tree before landing back on his feet unharmed.

"_Luffy's right, this guy is too fast. If I went to monster point he'd just dodge every hit, then once my limit passed I'd just be useless for the rest of the fight. I need to think of something else…"_

Suddenly the Reaper was right in Chopper's face.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure… Then again you are the person on the crew with the lowest bounty… also you're not really a person per say… What are you, some kind of monkey?"

"Monkey?!" exclaimed Chopper "Time out everyone! Time out! Do I look even remotely like a monkey to you?! I have hooves and antlers! I'm a freaking reindeer!"

"And I have horns on my helmet; does that automatically make me a bull? I've been hunting pirates across the Grand Line for a long time, and so far I've yet to see a talking reindeer, much less one that can walk on its hind legs, I have however seen my fair share of talking monkeys."

"Are we fighting, or shooting the breeze?" asked Sanji.

"Oh, so you're not too scared to fight me? Then again you're probably trying to make up for the fact that I beat you so easily the last time."

Sanji was doing his best to keep his cool. The Reaper was taunting him and the others, trying to get them angry, so angry they'd make mistakes. Two could play that game.

"So how ugly are you under that mask?"

"Excuse me?"

"We've never seen you without your mask. A man like you wouldn't be scared of pirates knowing your identity, so I think the only other explanation is they're not pleasant to look at."

The Reaper's response was another crescent shaped bolt that would have taken Sanji's head off if Luffy hadn't knocked Sanji down before he jumped.

"What did you do that for?!"

"The Reaper's not stupid; he knew you were going to jump into the air, so that's where he fired his attack!"

On the surface Luffy was in many ways the same person he was when his crew first met him, but he had changed during the Straw Hat crew's two year hiatus. Obviously training with the Pirate King's first mate would do that to you.

"I'm curious Monkey D. Luffy, why do you care if a single member of your crew dies? Two years ago you even sacked Enies Lobby, an act of complete and utter insanity, to save Nico Robin. That's two more people to share your treasure with… assuming you live long enough to spend it."

Back on the Revenge the Marines under the Reaper's command were watching the events unfold, waiting for him to give the signal for them to activate the transponder snails to broadcast it to the rest of the world. His servant girls could see it too.

"Utter insanity?" asked Felicity "This coming from the man who steals a bag of catnip from an old lady."

"He did what?" asked Crystal.

"He did that once, before your time." said Lily "He thought it was drugs."

"You obviously don't know much about being a Pirate Captain." replied Luffy back on the island "I wouldn't give up any one of my friends even for the One Piece. White Beard wouldn't have done it either, and he was the most feared pirate on the sea until his death two years ago."

The Reaper laughed.

"You're comparing yourself to White Beard. You're just a kid from the East Blue that ate a paramecian devil fruit and can use conqueror's haki, and you think you can put yourself in the same league as White Beard? You're nothing but a fly in my spider's web of death."

"Why do you keep saying death over and over again? Do you think that scares me?"

"Well in that case perhaps we should wrap up this little warm up and get right to the main event."

**(To be continued)**

**Next time… The Reaper's Devil Fruit power revealed!**

**Do you know what is is?**

**Let's review…**

**He's able to block or dodge just about everything Luffy and his friends throw at him**

**He was able to fight the three Admirals at once to a standstill… how?**

**What's faster than light?**

**What's a strong as death?**

**A force so powerful, the Navy and the World Government would have sealed it in a sea-prism stone vault deep beneath the ocean and have apparently done their best to erase any record of it's existence**

**I'll give you two clues…**

**In answer to the question, what's faster than light, most people would say nothing.**

**Reread this chapter and the previous fights carefully; see if you notice anything out of the ordinary.**

**Next time in Chapter 17: A force without rival**


	17. A Force without Rival

While the Reaper was occupied fighting Luffy and the others, Safaia climbed aboard the Sunny and made her way down to the docking bay. She could hear the sounds of the fight loud and clear.

For weeks now she was worried she'd never get to see her home, her family, or her fiancé ever again, now all that was separating her from them was a little water, but for some reason she found herself hesitant to leave.

"_What are you waiting for? They said you could leave."_

"_Luffy and his friends saved me from a lifetime of slavery, I can't just leave them."_

"_They're nothing but a band of pirates!"_

"_After all we've been through?"_

Safaia's mind was a battle between images of her home and the time she had spent with Luffy and his crew.

"_This is your last chance."_

"Alright everyone; hit him with everything you've got!" yelled Luffy.

"You've got it!" said Zoro "Phoenix of the 108 Earthly Desires!"

"Dos Manos!" exclaimed Robin.

"Franky Radical Beam!"

"Green Star: Skull Exploding Grass!"

"Black Ball: Raiun Rod!"

"Kung-Fu Point!"

"Pastoral Song: Blizzard Slash!"

"Hell Memories!"

"And last, but certainly not least… Armament Hardening: Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

As the Straw Hat's attacks approached the Reaper, he threw out his hands and yelled before he disappeared into the smoke.

"Did we get him?!" asked Usopp.

"No way. It's like we hit a wall, he's using his haki."

When the Reaper emerged from the smoke he didn't have a scratch on him.

"If it's any consolation that will make an excellent shot for the highlight reel."

Luffy was thinking harder than he ever had in his whole life. Every molecule, every fiber of his being was trying to find a way to defeat the adversary that now stood like a mountain before him. The fight was bringing back memories of everything that occurred two years ago from his fight through the levels of Impel Down to the point where he broke down during the Battle at Marineford.

"_No… don't think about that."_

One of the most important lessons Rayleigh taught Luffy during their time together was not to dwell on his failures.

"_Roger didn't conquer the Grand Line and become the Pirate King by crying over spilled milk. You need to keep pushing forward."_

For the sake of his crew Luffy was going to keep pushing forward, he was going to keep digging deeper and deeper into his strength until he had absolutely nothing left, and then he was going to dig some more, but it wasn't going to do him any good if he couldn't find a way to defeat his opponent.

"_His haki is unbelievable… and we don't even know what his devil fruit power is… but there's got to be a way to beat him. I didn't train for two years to be conquered by a piece of garbage that kills for money."_

"Well, if you're all just going to keep standing there, then I guess I'll make the next move."

The Reaper's sword began to glow, and then he started spinning it around and tossing it from hand to hand, until finally he raised it high into the air.

"Grave Storm Barrage!"

Crescent shaped bolts of energy rained down from the sky. It took every bit of Luffy's concentration to dodge them.

"Is everyone alright?!"

When Luffy turned around he and the others saw that Robin was on the ground clutching her leg.

"Robin!"

Chopper immediately rushed to her aid.

"Don't worry, that was meant to incapacitate you, not kill you. I've already told you that I have plans for you lovely ladies."

"You bastard!"

Sanji, Brook, and Franky all immediately charged back into the fray. Brook rushed the Reaper , but he parried off his attacks like they were nothing, Franky fired his fist at him, but the Reaper leapt up in the air to dodge it, Sanji tried to use the opportunity to kick the Reaper in the face, but he just spun around in mid-air and countered. Sanji just barely avoided getting his arm cut off.

"In case you didn't learn you lesson already Black-Leg… this is how one kicks!"

Sanji blocked the first kick but he wasn't so fortunate with the second one, which hit him hard in the chest; he felt several of his ribs go before he hit the ground.

"Sanji!"

Sanji struggled to get up.

"You're… gonna… have to do better than that."

"You people really don't know when to stay down do you?" asked the Reaper.

"Not if our Captain plans on becoming the Pirate King, and certainly not if I plan on becoming the world's greatest swordsman." said Zoro.

"It's a pity you won't live to realize that ambition. No matter whom you were trained by."

Zoro was silent.

"You think I'm stupid? I recognized that fighting style when I fought you the first time. It certainly explains how you've improved so much over the course of two years. I wonder if housing a known fugitive will be enough to put another Warlord on the World Noble's hit list?"

"No one beats him but me." said Zoro angrily.

"You already fought him once, and even after training with him for two years you know you're still not ready. I on the other hand am fully capable of killing him, because unlike you I am in possession of a power that is as strong as death."

"Two swordsmen face each other using only their swords, their skills, and their own strength."

The Reaper laughed.

"Pirates who think they can have a code of honor. Most pirates don't honor anything… it seldom amounts to much once they find themselves at death's door. All that matters is getting the job done."

"This guy really likes to talk." said Nami.

"He's trying to get inside our heads." said Robin as Chopper tended to her and Sanji's injuries "Its psych-out warfare. Any assassin that has the balls to take on a group of pirates like us while we're wide awake and standing right in front of him while he's on his own will do anything to tip the odds in his favor."

"Why? He's so immensely powerful as he keeps claiming."

"But we still don't know the specifics."

Zoro and the Reaper spent the next several minutes slashing away at each other, until finally Zoro fell down with a huge slash across his chest.

"I can do this all day."

"I'm sure you can, but unfortunately I have what I'm sure will be a very interesting date ahead of me."

Before the Reaper could raise his sword for a killing stroke, Luffy hurled himself at him, forcing him to dodge sharply to the side.

"Second Gear! Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"

Just like before the Reaper dodged Luffy's attack with little effort.

"_It's obvious he's using his haki to dodge this attack, but there's no way he should be able to dodge every single attack we throw at him… unless he really is by far the most powerful haki user we've ever encountered."_

"You're getting far too predictable Straw Hat."

The Reaper leapt high into the air.

"Giga Guillotine!"

Luffy jumped out of the way to avoid the huge bolt of energy that came out of the Reaper's sword, but he realized too late that the Reaper had actually released two bolts; he made Luffy choose his wound. He crashed on the ground with a huge cut that stretched from his shoulder down to his hip.

"LUFFY!"

The Reaper landed next to Luffy, his sword hovered almost surgically above him.

"I'm not going to drag this out. Let's face it after everything that happened last time, I'd just be repeating myself. Say hello to your brother."

"Mirage Tempo!"

Luffy vanished from sight before the Reaper could bring his blade down.

"That trick won't work on me… I don't need to see you to kill you."

Suddenly Reaper was distracted by something flying at him, he dodged and was shocked to see that it was Sanji.

"How the hell did you get up, I can count all the bones I broke."

"I've never felt better."

"Neither have I."

The Reaper was surprised to see that Zoro was back on his feet as well, without a scratch. While he was distracted Safaia rushed to Luffy's aid.

"I thought we told you to run."

"I couldn't just leave you, we're friends aren't we?"

Luffy just smiled.

"Hold still, this will just take a second."

Thanks to Safaia's power, Luffy's wound healed almost instantaneously.

"Aren't you tired?" asked Nami "You've already healed Sanji and Zoro."

"A little, but I think it's getting easier each time I use it. Until recently I just wasn't used to healing major injuries."

Luffy immediately jumped back into the fight.

"Hey gold boy!"

"_That's the best he could come up with?"_ thought Usopp.

The distraction of Luffy coming back into the fight without a scratch brought Sanji the time he needed to kick the Reaper in the head. He and the others didn't hear a snap, but Zoro charged in and ran him through with two of his swords.

"That still counts as mine!" said Sanji.

"All you did was stun him!" bellowed Zoro "I just stabbed him!"

The argument was broken up by the sound of the Reaper laughing, even though he was on his knees and there was blood oozing out of the mouthpiece of his mask.

"How the hell is he laughing?" asked Zoro "I could've sworn I punctured at least one lung."

"You couldn't hit water if you fell off the ship." said Sanji.

The Reaper made some strange gesture with his hands.

"Loop."

A moment after the word left the Reaper's mouth there was blinding flash of light.

"_Oh no, is this his devil fruit power?"_ thought Safaia.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Dead Man's Rock, it's the New World's Funniest Corporal Punishments and Executions! Tonight's victims, the Straw Hat Pirates!"

Safaia was shocked to see that the Reaper was perched up in the same tree he was in when he made his presence on the island known, and he didn't have any of his injuries.

"_Does he have a healing power too?"_

"Where the hell did he come from?!" exclaimed Usopp.

"What do mean where did he come from?" asked Safaia "You've been fighting him for nearly twenty minutes."

"What are you talking about?" asked Nami.

"What did you just do?!"

The Reaper hesitated; even though he was wearing his mask Safaia could tell that he looked confused.

"Who are you? I don't believe I've seen your face in the wanted posters."

"That's because she's our hostage." said Robin "We picked her up when we were recovering from our last encounter."

"Robin, you already said that."

"What do you mean I already said that?"

The Reaper had heard enough.

"Final Judgment Strike!"

Safaia never saw the attack coming, it took her a minute to register that she had lost half her body.

"SAFAIA!"

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all jumped in to fight the Reaper while the others crowded around Safaia.

"Oh my god… oh my god... oh my god!"

"Safaia! Are you still alive?!"

"Chopper… I need you to… reattach…"

That was all Chopper needed to hear. He placed Safaia's severed halves back together. Safaia put all her strength into user her devil fruit power. Just as she thought she was going to black out she could feel her legs again.

"Safaia, are you alright?!"

"Thank God for devil fruits…" she said trying to shake off the shock.

"Armament Hardening! Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

Luffy's attack struck the Reaper dead on and sent him flying into a very large rock.

"And stay down you bastard!"

Once again the Reaper was coughing up blood. Safaia saw that he was making the same strange gesture with his hands.

"Loop."

Another blinding flash of light and they were back where they started.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Dead Man's Rock, it's the New World's Funniest Corporal Punishments and Executions! Tonight's victims, the Straw Hat Pirates!"

This time Safaia kept her mouth shut.

"Where the hell did he come from?!" exclaimed Usopp.

"Well, when an infamous bounty hunter picks up a drunk woman in a bar… Oh you meant how I got here without anyone noticing. Let's just say being able to sneak up on unsuspecting pirates is a big part of what I do. Who are you? I don't believe I've seen your face in the wanted posters."

"_What is going on?"_ thought Safaia _"This already happened. How am I the only one who…"_

When Robin took Safaia under her arm she felt her amulet against her breasts, then it hit her. She remembered something that Robin had said earlier.

"_Black Hook Bart used his arm to create his amulet using magic. Like I said, for some reason he always considered it to be his lucky charm."_

"_Not only did it say how to find his treasure, but the amulet is how he defeated his strongest enemies!"_

While the Reaper was running off at the mouth Safaia whispered to Robin.

"Take the amulet if you don't believe me."

Without Safaia's interruption the fight proceeded as it would have if she had returned to the Sunny like she was supposed to. Until finally…

"Luffy, jump backwards! He's going to fire two shots!"

"What?"

Despite the momentary distraction, Luffy jumped backwards in time to avoid the Reaper's attack.

"How the hell is she keeping up with me?! I guess I really will have to settle for just two new servant girls… at least for tonight."

The Reaper charged at Safaia.

"Black Ball: Raiun Rod!"

Nami was as surprised as the others when her attack successfully hit the Reaper.

"I hit him? I actually hit him?!"

The Reaper's insulated suit protected him from the worst of it, but he cursed himself for being so careless.

"Loop."

This time Robin saw everything unfold.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Dead Man's Rock, it's the New World's Funniest Corporal Punishments and Executions! Tonight's victims, the Straw Hat Pirates!"

"_What the hell?"_

"Where the hell did he come from?!"

"Well, when an infamous bounty hunter picks up a drunk woman in a bar…"

"_How is this possible? I've never heard of a single devil fruit that can…"_

Just then Robin remembered something she had read years ago before the Buster Call. It was in a book she had never seen anywhere else.

_Of all the devil fruits scattered across the Grand Line, truly none are more feared than the legendary logia-class Clock-Clock fruit, which grants it's user the ability to bend the fabric of time. All things are bound by time, whosoever controls time controls everything._

**(To be continued)**

**With his ability to bend the fabric of time in addition to his mastery over haki, The Reaper is by far the most powerful adversary the Straw Hats have encountered to date, but with this newfound knowledge comes power. The Reaper will do anything to get his money and his servant girls, but Luffy will do anything to protect his friends, and the whole world will be watching.**

**Next time in Chapter 18: Fighting on Even Footing**


	18. Fighting on Even Footing

On Charon's Revenge, the Marines in the Reaper's employ saw the signal that they were to activate the transponder snails.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Dead Man's Rock, it's the New World's Funniest Corporal Punishments and Executions! Tonight's victims, the Straw Hat Pirates!"

Robin was still holding the amulet; she debated on how best to proceed. The amulet could only protect one person at a time, and she couldn't beat the Reaper by herself. If she warned the others the Reaper would just loop them through time again the process would start all over again.

"_I have to give it to Luffy without the Reaper noticing."_

For the moment Robin just let the fight play out as it was supposed to, then when Zoro began to duel with the Reaper she pulled Luffy aside.

"I've figured out what the Reaper's doing."

"Really?! What?!"

"He ate the Clock-Clock fruit. It grants him the power to manipulate time. That's how he's been able to block or dodge everything we throw at him, because he knows what we're going to do. He just keeps looping us through little segments of time over and over again until he wins."

"What is looping?"

"Think of it this way. He has the power to start the fight over whenever he wants, with knowledge of how it's going to play out, that's how he's able to dodge and or block anything we throw at him, and he just keeps using that power over and over again until he wins."

"Wait a minute… that means…"

Suddenly Luffy looked angrier than he had been all night.

"That Reaper's a no good cheat!"

"Fortunately we have something that can even the odds."

Robin quickly placed the amulet around Luffy's neck.

"Isn't this Safaia's?"

"Turns out it protected her from the Reaper's power and did the same for me. I guess that's why Black Hook Bart called it his lucky charm."

"So it will help me beat him?"

"Just remember to keep changing your attacks so he doesn't know what you're going to do next."

They had finally reached the point where the Reaper was about to raise his sword over Zoro for a killing stroke. Luffy's first instinct was to charge at the Reaper and attack him with his Jet Gatling.

"Wait, Robin said I should try something different… I've got it! Head Armament: Gum-Gum Bell!"

Luffy hurled his head at the Reaper, who was able to dodge the attack, but was startled by the fact that Luffy had only thrown his head as opposed to his entire body.

"_What in the hell is going on?!"_

During his time as a freelance bounty hunter for the World Nobles, the Reaper had fought some of the most feared Pirates on the Grand Line, and he had even fought to a standstill with the Three Admirals. Never before had his powers failed him, but for some reason the Straw Hat's hostage was apparently unaffected even though he had used his loop power twice, which should have whipped her memory since it reset the past several minutes. Not to mention Black Leg and Pirate Hunter were able to miraculously heal from their serious injuries in a matter of moments.

"You certainly know how to pick your hostages Straw Hat… Tell me, what is her devil fruit power?"

Luffy wasn't the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but he would never say anything to endanger one of his friends.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar?"

"Has anyone ever told that you're a no good cheat?"

Luffy's friends could see that the Reaper was definitely taken aback by this.

"What's going on?" asked Nami.

"I could explain, but we'll probably forget in a couple seconds." said Robin.

"What do you mean we'll forget?"

"Does the Clock-Clock fruit make you feel invincible?" asked Luffy "You should know that logia users are far from being unbeatable."

The Reaper silently cursed himself for signaling the Marines in his employ to activate the transponder snails.

"The Clock-Clock fruit exists?!"

"Sir?" asked Tashigi.

"The Clock-Clock fruit is a legendary logia-class devil fruit that is said to grant the user the ability to manipulate time." said Smoker "There's never been any record that a person has ever used this fruit, and the Navy's official standing is that it doesn't exist, probably because it's so dangerous."

After her years of serving in the marines, Tashigi was aware of how destructive a single devil fruit could be. Two logia fruit users could destroy an entire island, as demonstrated when Fire-Fist Ace fought Blackbeard and when then Admirals Sakazuki and Kuzan dueled on Punk Hazard. If there really was a devil fruit that could manipulate time she didn't even want to think about it, much less the damage that someone like the Reaper could do with it. At the moment pirates and marines all across the sea were all thinking the same thing.

For some reason the Reaper's loop ability was proving unreliable. It had never failed him before, so what was so special about the Straw Hats? And now their captain had somehow figured out his big secret.

"_Who cares? So what if they know what I can do, it's not like it will make a difference."_

"How would you like to see the power I used in my fight the admirals?"

"Isn't that what you've been doing?" asked Robin.

"I only use this power when nothing else works… wouldn't want to make things too easy."

The Reaper made a gesture with his hands that was different from the one he made earlier.

"FREEZE!"

"Ah… so that's why we weren't able to beat him. Now it all makes sense."

Admiral Borsalino could move at the speed of light, but when he, Sakazuki, and Kuzan fought the Reaper it didn't do him any good because his opponent could stop time.

**How the Reaper's Power Works**

**The Clock-Clock Fruit allows the Reaper to manipulate time within a designated radius, much the same way that Luffy can only stretch his arms so long, or how Buggy can control his detached parts. He can only loop up to fifteen minutes at time, and can only stop time for a little over five because of the amount of concentration it requires. He can't effectively use this power during a battle at sea because there's so much happening at once, and because the enemy ship is usually out of range.**

Beneath his mask the Reaper smiled.

"I love doing that."

For a moment it looked like the Reaper's trick had worked,all the Straw Hats were frozen in time, but then Luffy cracked a smile.

"No…"

"Armament Hardening: Gum-Gum Pistol!"

The Reaper was sent flying, with his concentration broken the others were set free of his spell.

"What the heck just happened?" asked Franky.

Meanwhile the whole world was looking at their monitors with their mouths wide open.

"Oh my god… How did he do that? Is Luffy's haki so strong that he can actually move in the frozen time?!" exclaimed Coby.

Once her sisters told her that Luffy was alive, Boa Hancock immediately emerged from her coma. After seeing her beloved Luffy turn the tables on the Reaper she was once again absolutely smitten.

"I don't believe it… In a matter of weeks my Luffy has grown strong enough defy the tyranny of time… He never ceases to surprise me."

"You're not going to melt are you?"

"I can't help it… I love him so much… He will be my Pirate King, I will be his Queen, his wife, his…"

The Pirate Empress turned even pinker.

"What?"

"I was going to say…" she giggled "I'll be… the mother of his children."

"_He hasn't agreed to marriage yet and she's already thinking about children."_ thought Nyon.

"Bullshit! I call bullshit! I call all kinds of bullshit!" said the Reaper getting to his feet.

"Like I said, you can't cheat anymore." said Luffy "I suggest you give up. Nothing is going to stop me from becoming the King of the Pirates."

"I'll admit Straw Hat, this is definitely new, but if you think you've crippled me just by inexplicably overcoming my devil fruit power, you're dead wrong."

The Reaper channeled energy into his sword and stuck it the ground.

"Mortal Shockwave!"

Luffy was able to stand his ground, but all the others were immediately knocked off their feet.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!"

To make up with for the fact that Luffy had someone found a way to remain unaffected by his powers, the Reaper used his sword as a shield by rapidly spinning it around and around in front of him. He charged at Luffy and started lunging it in rapid succession. Luffy used his conqueror's haki to blow the Reaper back.

"Gum-Gum Buzzsaw!"

Luffy grabbed the Reaper and wound himself up, then he jumped up and span around like a whirlwind, but before he found his mark the Reaper screamed and sent Luffy flying.

"Bloodlust comet!"

The Reaper jumped into the air using his haki to propel himself with his sword held out in front of him.

"Gum-Gum Stamp Gatling!"

The Reaper dodged Luffy's attacks and pierced his shoulder.

"NO! LUFFY!"

Next the Reaper kicked Luffy back down to the ground and stomped on his wound.

"I'm sorry, did that hurt? Oh well, as much as I'd love to drag this out, it's time to put an end to this."

"Hey asshole!"

Before the Reaper could move he heard a click, he looked up and saw that there was a pair of handcuffs on his arms.

"Don't tell me these are…"

"I GOT HIM!" exclaimed Usopp "I GOT THE BASTARD! I WON! Those are sea-prism stone cuffs, which means you just got owned by the great Captain Usopp!"

"Usopp just beat the Reaper?!" said Chopper rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

"Well, that certainly hurts my pride." said Zoro.

"You and me both marimo."

At that moment the Reaper just snapped. He had been wounded, humiliated, insulted, and now one of the weakest members of the Straw Hat crew had slipped a pair of sea-prism stone cuffs onto his arms.

"THAT'S IT! EVERYONE DIES!"

"What are you going to do, lean on us?" asked Brook "YO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!"

The Reaper started flexing his muscles.

"Don't tell me he's going to try and break them."

"Since those things are made of sea-prism, shouldn't they drain him of any power he has?" said Nami.

The Reaper screamed louder than ever before, pushing his haki dangerously far beyond it's limits, and then just like that the cuffs shattered.

"Oh… my… god…"

The Reaper picked up his sword and growled like a lion.

"Usopp… you might want to run." said Franky.

**(To be continued)**

**Fueled by Blood Red Rage, the Reaper has officially had enough. The kid gloves are off, no more Mr. Nice Guy. Batten down the hatches and prepare for the pain.**

**Next time in Chapter 19: Endgame, Wrath of the Reaper!**


	19. Endgame: Wrath of the Reaper!

Usopp didn't need to be told twice. He immediately took off in the opposite direction.

"Activating shit storm in five… four… three… two… one… Freeze!"

With Luffy down for the moment, the Reaper had no trouble positioning himself in front of Usopp.

"Tag… you're dead."

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

Usopp was sent flying until he came skidding to a halt on the rocky ground.

"USOPP!"

"Left kneecap shattered, skull fractured, at least four broken ribs, right shoulder obliterated. He won't be getting up any time soon."

"You bastard!"

Before Luffy or any of the others could move, the Reaper pulled something out of his belt.

"Don't tell me that's what I think it is…" said Nami.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Not again!"

Mount Hade, the volcano of Dead Man's Rock only erupted once every sixty years, but thanks to the Reaper the next eruption was happening way ahead of schedule.

"He's trying to separate us! Stay together!" said Luffy getting to his feet.

"Easier said than done!"

"Chopper, get Usopp! We'll keep the Reaper busy!"

The Reaper had already chosen his next target. As the lava came sliding down the mountain he charged at Franky.

"You want some of this?! Come and get it! Franky SUPER Radical Beam!"

The Reaper didn't even seem to acknowledge Franky's attack; he just swatted it away with the side of his hand like it was a beach ball.

"Well, don't that beat…"

Before Franky could finish his sentence he was hit with a barrage of haki enhanced punches that even his armored gut couldn't withstand.

"And one more for the road!"

The Reaper's next punch left a huge hole in Franky's abdomen.

"NO! FRAKNY!"

"Don't worry about me… I'm fine… take care of long nose!"

Chopper rushed over to Usopp's side.

"Usopp! Are you still alive?!"

Chopper didn't need the Reaper to tell him how many of Usopp's bones had been broken. He looked like he had been hit by an entire ship.

"Mommy… I don't want to go to school today…"

Zoro, Brook, and Sanji were all dueling the Reaper at the same time. With his sword drawn he was a hurricane of blows.

"Alright… you're really ticking me off!" said Zoro "Nine Sword Style… Spinning Demon Top!"

"Spinning Demon Top?" asked Sanji.

"They can't all be good!"

"How about just one of them?"

"Can you two not see that there is a lunatic trying to kill us?!" said Nami.

"Oh right…"

Zoro and Brook both attacked the Reaper with a barrage of strikes, but he blocked everyone one of them.

"MY DEVIL FRUIT POWER IS JUST MY ACE IN THE HOLE! YOU FOOLS NEVER HAD A CHANCE OF DEFEATING ME!"

"This guy's a monster!"

No one across the sea could believe what they were seeing. Somehow Luffy had been able to defy the power of time, and the Reaper had been strong enough to shatter cuffs made of sea-prism stone.

"Luffy…" said Shirahoshi.

"I wouldn't worry about Luffy just yet." said Jinbe "The Reaper may have been able to shatter his cuffs, but the only way he could have done that is if he pushed his haki far beyond its limits… way too far. There's no way he'll be able to fight at this pace for long. Luffy and the others just need to outlast him."

"I just hope they can outlast him."

The Reaper continued to attack Zoro, Brook, and Sanji fiercely. Each blow was like it came from a sledgehammer instead of a sword.

"_This is insane! He's been holding back on us this entire time!"_

"SPADE-BURST STRIKE!"

The Reaper's attack sent Brook flying and scattered his pieces.

"Someone is going to be sore in the morning… even though I'm nothing but bones… YOHOHOHOHO!"

The Reaper turned his attention back to Zoro and Sanji. The lava had finally reached the base of the volcano.

"I'll give you a choice. Die to the lava or die to me."

While the Reaper was distracted, Luffy was trying to get his bearings. He couldn't risk having Safaia heal his injuries while the Reaper was broadcasting their fight. Chopper had taken Usopp back to the ship, Brook and Franky were trying to pull themselves together, and so far the others had each managed to find a safe spot from the lava.

"Okay… I just need to keep telling myself… nothing the Reaper does to me will be anything compared to what Nami will do if we don't make it out of here with the treasure."

Zoro had his hands full trying to parry the Reaper's attacks while Sanji tried to look for an opening from above using his sky walk.

"There! Time for my new attack! Nine Kicks of Hell! Full Power!"

Sanji's burning leg flew at the Reaper full force nine times, but it never once found its mark.

"You never learn do you?"

With two swift movements the Reaper drove his sword through Sanji's thighs before he hit the ground.

"AGHH!"

"Lots of nerve endings there, that's gotta hurt." he said wiping the blood from his sword.

"If you think taking out eyebrows again is going to scare me, you've got something else coming. Nine Sword Style: Killer Whale Chomp!"

Zoro positioned his swords so they looked like a large set of jaws and began to slash rapidly, but the Reaper placed his sword on a horizontal slant and somehow managed to block every single blow.

"What is that sword made of?!" asked Nami.

"If I remember correctly, Azrael's Scythe has some sea-prism stone embedded in the metal of the blade." said Robin "Many of the assassins that have wielded it have been known for their victories over certain devil fruit users."

"I could just kill you Pirate Hunter Zoro, but since I'm in such a pissy mood… I'm going to do more than that."

The Reaper continued with a fierce barrage of attacks until he knocked Zoro's swords out of his hands, and then with one swift strike…

"AGHHH!"

"ZORO!"

"OH MY GOD!"

Zoro fell to the ground looking at the bloody stumps where his hands used to be.

"Even if you survive this… not damn likely… just try and become the world's greatest swordsman with those."

"Please tell me there's still some chocolate on the ship." said Safaia.

"How can you be thinking about chocolate in a time like this?!" asked Nami.

"You don't understand. Every time I use my powers I feel a little drained, but for some reason if I eat some chocolate I feel a lot better."

"How does that work?" asked Chopper.

"I believe now's not the time for explanations."

"YOU BASTARD!"

Luffy immediately rushed to Zoro's aid.

"Third Gear! Armament Hardening: Gum-Gum Elephant Gun!"

The Reaper dodged Luffy's attack and punched him in the wound on his shoulder, then he knocked him down and stomped on it.

"Now for the last time… die…"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Out of nowhere Chopper jumped in.

"Heavy Point! Heavy Gong!"

The Reaper effortlessly dodged Chopper's attack and hammered him in the gut, causing him to switch forms.

"Time for one of my favorite games… Whack A Mole… or Cut A Mole's Head Off as the case may be…"

"I'M NOT A MOLE! I'M A REINDEER!"

"Whatever…"

Before the Reaper could move, he was seized by a giant pair of hands.

"Nami, now!"

Nami raced over a on road of clouds that she had created.

"Black Ball Raiun Rod!"

Nami struck the Reaper right in his face.

"AH! MY EYES!"

"Threaten him again… and I'll rip you in half." growled Robin.

"That's it! BOLT!"

On the Reaper's command his suit was electrified, forcing Robin to relinquish her hold. He then sent Nami flying into her with the back of his hand. He then proceeded to savagely beat both of them.

"I'm going to rape you…" he growled "As soon as we're done here I'm going to take both of you and your hostage, chain you to the wall, tear your clothes off, and flog you until you beg for mercy. Then I'm going to lock you in my freezer, and just when you're nearly dead from exposure I'm going to drown all three of you in boiling chocolate! Then when I'm done licking every last drop off, I'm going to violently and repeatedly violate every orifice in your bodies! I'm not just running off at the mouth, I WILL DO IT! Seriously, I have a huge tub of chocolate on my ship… Did I just say that out loud in front of the active transponder snails?"

"You pretty much yelled it." said Robin.

No one who was watching the fight could believe what the Reaper just said.

"This guy's sick!"

"I'm all for bringing pirates to justice, but seriously, there's a line!"

"Sir, we're not going to let the Reaper get away with something like that, are we?" asked Tashigi.

"If we try to arrest the Reaper, I'm sure he'll pull some Agent of the World Nobles bullshit on us."

"Oh well… Maybe I'm just so unbelievably enraged, or maybe it's because I can get away with it because I have money… but in any case I don't care." said the Reaper.

The Reaper looked intently at Nami's chest and then hoisted her off the ground.

"I think I'll start with you."

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

This time Luffy hit the Reaper in the back of his head.

"Alright… that's the very last straw! This time I'm going to kill you!"

"Kick his ass Luffy." said Nami.

"With pleasure."

"Straw Hat Luffy versus The Reaper! Final Round! Are you ready?!"

All the others looked around.

"Who keeps saying those things?" asked Chopper.

Luffy and the Reaper both leapt across the lava to fight on a huge rock.

"Don't just stand there you morons!" yelled Zoro "Get over here and help me find my hands!"

"Second Gear… Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"

The Reaper blocked Luffy's attack with an exertion of his haki, but this time it was enough to knock Luffy off his feet and send him flying towards the edge of the rock.

"No more games, this time I'm going to end you once and for all! Extermination Buster!"

The Reaper fired an x-shaped bolt of energy from his sword, but Luffy leapt high into the air to dodge it, the Reaper immediately jumped after him.

"Gum-Gum Jet Stamp!"

Luffy struck the Reaper in the face and sent him crashing back down to the ground.

"AH! AGAIN WITH THE FREAKING EYES!"

"Come to think of it, how are you not blind after getting hit by Nami's attack?"

"_HE'S PICKING HIS NOSE?!"_

The Reaper got up, charged at Luffy and swung at him like a man possessed.

"Seriously, how can you still see?"

"THROUGH THE ANCIENT AND MYSTIC ART OF NOT GIVING A DAMN!"

The Reaper raised his sword high in the air and a huge beam of light shot hundreds of feet from the blade as if it were an extension of the sword itself.

"LONG ARM OF DEATH!"

The Reaper violently slashed out until he finally scored a wound across Luffy's leg, then he charged again.

"Armament Hardening: Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"

The Reaper caught both of Luffy's arms in mid-air, then rushed over and kicked him in the face.

"Was that his foot?"

Luffy was sent flying to the edge of the rock, but the Reaper rushed over and caught him by the throat, then he started to squeeze with both hands.

"Some of you have probably heard rumors that I once popped a man's head with my bare hands… well check this out!"

Luffy struggled with all his might to free himself, but the Reaper only squeezed harder, when suddenly…

"ACK!"

The Reaper clutched his chest, and then he coughed up some blood and started convulsing.

"What the hell?!"

"I think he's having a heart attack!" exclaimed Chopper.

"What did I tell you?" said Jinbe watching the events unfold from Fishman Island "He's overexerted his haki, and his body can't take it."

The Reaper had always felt that pushing one's limits was the key to progress, but it didn't take him long to see the consequences during the course of his training. Fortunately he had encountered this problem before, and devised a way to deal with it. He reached into his belt and pulled out a syringe that he rammed right into his chest. It took him a few minutes, but he managed to calm down a bit. He looked up and saw that Luffy was already back on his feet, albeit looking just as worn out as he was.

"Luffy…"

It had been over two years since Princess Vivi Nefertari had last seen Luffy, but she never expected that he would have improved this much. The Reaper was ten times more powerful than Crocodile on so many levels, but Luffy was somehow able to match him move for move.

"You're going to be one heck of Pirate King…"

No one could believe what they were hearing. The Reaper was actually laughing.

"Why the hell am I laughing?" he asked pointing at Luffy "This isn't funny anymore… Maybe I'm just so unbelievably enraged right now… come to think of it… I don't think I've been this pissed since that time I killed dad for killing mom… or am I thinking of someone else?"

"Funny? At what point was this fight ever funny?" asked Nami.

"It's always funny until someone loses an eye." replied Franky.

"Yeah, then it's hilarious. YOHOHOHOHO!"

"It's not so easy to win a fight when you can't cheat, is it?" asked Luffy.

"Devil fruit or no devil fruit… I'm still going to kill you… Then I'm going to do everything I said I would do to your girls… collect my money… pour myself an outrageously huge glass of booze… and sleep this off like a bad drug trip. I am death incarnate… I'm the person who's going to kill the Pirate King."

"You won't succeed, because I'm the one who's going to be the Pirate King. And you won't hurt any of my friends ever again."

"Time to prove you wrong."

"This is it…" said Smoker "Someone is about to lose this fight."

The Reaper began to channel energy through his sword.

"Second Gear… Armament Hardening…"

Luffy and the Reaper continued to pool energy.

"Oh my, what's up with the sky?" asked Safaia who noticed that the energy Luffy and the Reaper were generating was causing the ash clouds to shift.

"GUM-GUM RED HAWK!"

"FINAL JUDGMENT STRIKE!"

**(To be concluded)**

**(Coming soon to deviantart: Luffy vs. The Reaper)**


	20. A Clear Message

It happened so fast that the others could hardly believe it. The Reaper charged at Luffy with his sword drawn and unleashed multiple gigantic bursts of energy, but Luffy dodged them all and hit the Reaper dead-on with his Red Hawk, and sent his head flying.

"Oh… my… god…" said Nami.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED!" exclaimed Chopper.

Luffy walked over to the place where the Reaper's head landed.

"Better make sure he's dead."

Luffy kicked the Reaper's head into a burning tree.

"Yep, he's dead." he said cracking a smile.

"You do realize that you just punched off a man's head, don't you?"

"What? He was trying to kill us, and you heard what he planned to do to Nami and the others. I don't know what an orifice is, but it can't be good."

"That's our captain." laughed Robin.

"Besides, this should send a clear message to the Marines and all the other Pirates across the New World. Nothing is going to stop me from becoming the Pirate King, so stay out of my way."

The World Nobles were fuming, even the Reaper had been bested by Monkey D. Luffy. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki had just witnessed the one person who had stood up to him, Borsalino, and Kuzan all at once being defeated by someone who had somehow learned to defy the power of time. Even though he could control lava, and he'd never admit it to anyone, not even himself, he felt an uncomfortable chill down his spine. And somewhere in a dark corner of the New World, Blackbeard bust his gut laughing.

Onboard the Thousand Sunny, Usopp could finally feel his body again.

"Ugh… where am? What happened?"

"Long story short, we won." said Sanji.

"What happened to the Reaper?"

"Dead… very dead."

"Dead?! How?!"

"Luffy punched his freaking head off, and I temporally lost my hands. You really missed out."

"Wait a minute, if you lost your hands… then how…"

"Safaia."

Usopp looked over and saw that Robin and Nami hovering over Safaia, who looked like death.

"I need chocolate… NOW!"

"Right away!"

As soon as Sanji brought her some chocolate the color immediately returned to Safaia's face.

"Thanks… I needed that."

"Anything for a lovely bride-to-be."

"Where the heck is Luffy?"

"He said there was something he had to take care of."

"What could he possibly have to take care of, the island is on fire."

Ussop scanned the burning landscape for any sign of Luffy, when suddenly…

"I thought you said he was dead!"

The others looked across the starboard side of the ship and saw the Reaper leaping across the molten lava toward the ship.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

The Reaper leapt onto the ship's deck and drew his sword.

"I've got only one question for you… How cool do I look in this armor?!"

"What? Luffy?!"

The Reaper took off his mask, and sure enough there was a familiar grin underneath.

"What is your damage?!"

"Come on, you've got to admit, this armor is just too cool!"

"Well, I it does make a SUPER trophy."

"What did you do with the body?"

"I gave him a proper cremation."

"That's probably more than he deserves."

"Luffy… you just gave me a brilliant idea." said Nami.

"We should party by setting a large bonfire?"

"We should raid the Reaper's ship!"

"Are you serious?" asked Usopp.

"Why not? If he was here then his ship can't be far. And you saw how big that thing was, odds are there's something of worth on it."

"Didn't we just retrieve Black Hook Bart's lost treasure?" asked Chopper.

"You can never have too much money."

"But we need to take Safaia home."

"It's just a quick detour, it shouldn't take long."

"What about the crewman aboard?" asked Chopper.

"We faced the Reaper himself and won. I doubt a bunch of hired goons are going to give us much trouble."

"But the whole world saw Luffy punch someone's head off. The Marines could be barreling down on us as we speak!" said Usopp.

"I believe it's the captain's call to make." said Robin.

It took Luffy two minutes to make his decision.

"Okay, Safaia needs to be taken home and the Marines could be on their way. We have ten minutes to get to the Reaper's ship and steal as much stuff as we possibly can!"

"Pirates…" said Safaia under her breath.

After Usopp sighted the Revenge, Franky sent the Sunny flying in its direction at full speed. As soon as it was within range Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji leapt aboard.

"I'll bet there isn't even a single devil fruit user onboard."

"Boo…" said Luffy.

Half the crew immediately dropped their weapons.

"Ugh… Back off! We've got you outnumbered!"

"Luffy…"

With an exertion of Luffy's haki, the rest of the crew immediately fell down.

"Okay everyone, split up and search the ship. You have eight minutes!"

It didn't take long for Nami to wish that Luffy had left at least one of the crew members standing.

"Okay, why the hell does he have a box full of live worms and rats? Luffy, what are you doing?"

Luffy had his head submerged in a giant tub.

"The Reaper wasn't lying about the chocolate." he said pulling his head out.

"We don't have time for that. It looks like there's nothing here, we need to keep looking."

As they searched the ship, Luffy and the others never expected that they would find a room with fifteen young women in revealing clothes. For a moment it looked like Sanji was going to bleed out.

"You… Straw Hat Luffy… is he…"

"If by he you mean the Reaper, he's very dead."

The one with the long pink hair immediately rushed up and kissed Luffy, and the others quickly followed.

"Hey! Get off me!"

"Sorry… It's just that… you have no idea how much we wanted to see him die."

"You were his servant girls." said Robin

"That's the understatement. You heard what he planned to do to you. He… he did things like that to us all the time."

Chopper could tell that the girls had suffered some very serious beatings, some of their wounds were very recent.

"How can we ever thank you?"

"You can tell us where the Reaper kept his valuables." said Nami.

"In his room. There's a safe behind the bookcase, activated by pulling the lever disguised as a book titled "The Power of Men". The combination is 1-9-9-0."

As they made their way to the Reaper's room Sanji looked very gloomy.

"Why is Luffy always the lucky one?! First he ends up on the island of women while I end up in hell, now this! It's not fair…"

"Well, he is the one who actually killed the Reaper." replied Zoro "You on the other hand was just as useless as ever."

"SHUT THE HELL UP MOSSHEAD! AT LEAST I DIDN'T GET MY HANDS CHOPPED OFF!"

"That can be fixed right now!"  
"Oh for Pete's sake, shut up!" said Nami "Focus on getting this stuff to the ship, we've only got about five minutes."

"Actually… I think we just ran out of time."

In the distance Usopp could see a G-5 ship approaching.

"It must be Smoker."

"Fight or flight?"

"I vote fight." said Zoro.

"Absolutely not!" said Chopper "Safaia may have been able to heal everyone's injuries, but that doesn't change the fact that we're all exhausted."

"And I'm sooooo hungry." said Luffy.

"But we still need to take Safaia home."

"What about the other girls?"

"Okay listen. Slavery is supposed to be illegal and none of them have brands." said Robin "If we know Vice Admiral Smoker and Captain Tashigi, and we do, they'll just think of them all as victims of the situation and see the Reaper as an even viler person than they already thought. Safaia, once they board you just tell them that after our fight with the Reaper we thought you were nothing but dead weight. One they're done here they'll take you home."

"Are you sure?"

"Have we steered you wrong yet?"

"Oh, I almost forgot to give this back."

Luffy handed Safaia back her amulet.

"But Luffy… you may have killed the Reaper, but what if someone else finds the Clock-Clock fruit?"

"Don't worry, we'll find another way. And if he or she is a pirate, I'll convince them to join my crew!"

"Thanks for everything Luffy. You're going to make a great Pirate King some day."

"And you're going to make a very good wife."

This time it was Safaia that thanked Luffy with a kiss.

"Why does everyone keep doing that?"

"No fair! No fair at all!" said Sanji.

"Let's get out of here!" said Usopp.

Franky waited until everyone was back onboard the Sunny.

"Alright, it's now or never! SUPER Coup De Burst!"

Just like that the Sunny was off.

It didn't take long for Luffy to learn that he was right about the assumptions he had made that night. The next day the front page of the newspaper read, "No one mourns the Reaper." The paper was full of cries from outraged citizens across the sea about his methods, including the few survivors of the incident at Herpeto Island. As the days passed more and more articles began to emerge about the atrocities the Reaper had inflicted on his slaves. And it didn't take long for the World Government to issue a one billion belli reward for the Clock-Clock fruit.

"Let's just hope we don't run into it again."

"I'd hate to see something like that in Blackbeard's hands." said Robin.

"Hey guys, look at this!"

The newspaper Nami was reading had a picture of Safaia in a white dress holding hands with her new husband.

"Aw, don't they just make the cutest couple."

"It's so SUPER beautiful!" said Franky crying like a baby.

"A young woman kidnapped in the middle of the night by persons of a suspected illegal slave trade found herself a hostage of the infamous Straw Hat pirates. When asked about her experience, she simply stated that it had been enough adventure for one lifetime, and looks forward to new life with her new husband."

There was no shortage of articles speculating about how Luffy had been able defy the power of the Clock-Clock fruit and defeat the Reaper. Everyone expected their bounties to rise any day now. After nearly a week of rest, Luffy and the others were ready for their next adventure, and Brook had finally finished his new song.

**Gold Roger lies buried, but his legend lives on**

**I tell you the Pirate King comes.**

**Pirates sail the seas of the New World with their hearts bold and dreams full of gold.**

**Surely there must be one that can rise and claim the throne**

**Find the lost treasure and turn the world upside down**

**In our hearts we know the Pirate King comes**

**With a ship like no other, a crew to match, and the power of a conqueror**

**Let all enemies of the freedom we hold so dear beware**

**Though the darkness grows as do our foes**

**Through the good and bad times we'll see our adventure through**

**In our hearts we know we'll be there soon.**

**We know the Pirate king comes.**

**(The End)**


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